WHO Says It Lacks 'Full Picture' From Russia After Suspected Plague Death

The World Health Organization has said it does not yet have the "full picture" from Russian authorities following the suspected death from plague of a laboratory worker in Siberia last week, according to The Guardian.

Darya Shipilova, 28, died two days after falling ill with cold-like symptoms. She was employed at an anti-plague research institute in the eastern Russian city of Irkutsk, and some reports have suggested she may have been infected while working there, though the exact circumstances of her exposure have not been fully confirmed publicly.

The WHO said that transparent information sharing from Moscow is necessary in order for it to conduct a full risk assessment of the case and determine whether there are any broader public health implications. The agency's comments suggest that, as of the report, Russian authorities had not provided the level of detail the WHO considers necessary for such an assessment.

Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is rare in modern times but still occurs sporadically in various parts of the world, including some regions of Russia, Central Asia, Africa and the Americas, where it can be found in wild rodent populations. Cases are generally treatable with antibiotics when identified early, and modern outbreaks are typically contained quickly when proper protocols are followed.

Russian officials have not publicly detailed the specific nature of Shipilova's work at the institute or confirmed the precise cause of her death at the time of the WHO's statement. The WHO's call for more information follows its standard practice of seeking detailed case data from member states when a death potentially involving a serious infectious disease occurs.