Rubio Demands Russia Reveal Details of the Death of a Plague Lab Worker

Listen to the article, the audio text is automatically generated by a machine system.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on Russia on Tuesday to provide more information regarding a case suspected to be linked to an outbreak of pneumonic plague, after a woman who worked in a laboratory dealing with highly dangerous pathogens died.

Rubio, during his visit to Iceland as part of a diplomatic tour, stated that Russia has a "responsibility" to share more information with the international community, urging Moscow to be transparent so that countries can address the situation appropriately.

He added, "We encourage Russia to be transparent and to share more information with the world, so that we can all respond accordingly and in the appropriate manner."

Rubio's remarks come after Russian media reports revealed the death of a woman who worked in a laboratory in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, while authorities are investigating the possibility of her contracting pneumonic plague.

According to the World Health Organization, the laboratory where the woman worked studies dangerous pathogens, including plague bacteria, in an area of Siberia where plague naturally occurs among wildlife.

In contrast, the World Health Organization stated on Tuesday that the risk of the disease spreading within Russia or transferring to Europe is generally low, but it is still awaiting an official assessment from Russian authorities regarding the situation.

Pneumonic plague is a rare disease, but it can be fatal, and it can be transmitted through respiratory droplets from infected animals or people carrying the bacteria 'Yersinia pestis', according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reports indicate that about 200 people are under observation for potential exposure to the infection due to contact with the deceased woman, including more than 100 people being monitored in hospital wards.

The death of the worker in a specialized laboratory studying dangerous pathogens increases the sensitivity of the case, while international authorities await official clarifications from Moscow regarding the nature of the case and whether it is indeed linked to pneumonic plague.