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The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected case of deadly pneumonic plague in Russia and is urging Moscow to quickly share accurate information as details remain unconfirmed.
A State Department official told Fox News that the United States is aware of reports of a death in Irkutsk Oblast, a region in southeastern Siberia, and is monitoring the situation closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies. The official stressed that many details had not been confirmed and called on Russian authorities to reveal what they know.
Former CIA officer Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital that the U.S. intelligence community would likely collect intelligence from all sources about the incident.
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FILE – A man has his nose swabbed. The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected case of deadly pneumonic plague in Russia. (iStock)
“I would also expect our embassy in Moscow to formally engage with its diplomatic counterparts, because we may have people in Russia who could be in danger,” Hoffman warned.
“Washington will speak to all of our allies and partners in the region and share what we know.”
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The plague bacteria (Yersinia pestis) causes bubonic plague and is carried by the pathogen in rats. There are still many parts of the world where the disease is rampant. (iStock)
Pneumonic plague can be treated with common antibiotics, especially when treatment begins early, the official said. Appropriate treatment should begin as soon as plague is suspected, and patients may be treated with intravenous or oral antimicrobials depending on disease severity and other factors, according to the CDC.
FILE – A State Department official said the United States is following reports of a suspected case of deadly pneumonic plague in Russia, while pressuring Moscow for accurate and timely information. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Cases of pneumonic plague occur naturally in many parts of the world, according to the State Department official.
The official said the safety and security of U.S. citizens remains the department’s top priority and encouraged Americans traveling abroad to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, to receive updates.
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