Russia Denies Special Plague Measures as Washington Calls for Transparency

Russian authorities on Tuesday denied taking special measures to combat plague in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, following reports of the death of an employee at an institute specializing in fighting the disease.

The reports concerned a female employee at the institute. The available information did not establish the cause of her death or whether it was linked to plague.

Moscow’s denial addressed claims that special disease-control measures had been introduced in the region. It did not, in the information provided, clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported death.

Washington meanwhile called on Moscow to show greater “transparency” about the situation. The appeal underscored questions over the reports, but no confirmed plague case was identified in the available account.