EU Discusses Suspected Pneumonic Plague Case in Russia
EU member states discussed the suspected case of pneumonic plague in Russia after the issue was added Wednesday to the agenda of the Health Security Committee. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has requested additional information from Russia regarding the incident.
The death last week of 28-year-old laboratory assistant Darya Shipilova at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute continues to fuel questions. Russian authorities say she died from pneumonia of undetermined origin and insist there is no risk of an epidemic outbreak in Siberia.
At the same time, WHO is investigating unconfirmed reports in local Russian media of a second pneumonia case linked to the anti-plague research institute.
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