Pneumonic Plague Tracker

Record updated Sources on file 22

  1. Oct 5-6, 2026

    On the record

    Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan said they had stepped up sanitary-quarantine checks at their border crossings with Russia. Kazakhstan's health ministry said the situation is under constant monitoring.

    Kazinform · IRCITY, citing the ministries · Oct 6, 2026

  2. Oct 5-6, 2026

    On the record

    Rospotrebnadzor said medical observation had ended for 60% of contacts, that no pathogens other than two COVID-19 and two rhinovirus cases were found among them, and that the situation in the region is calm. Interfax dated its report Oct 5 and regional outlets carried the statement on Oct 6.

    Rospotrebnadzor › via Interfax · Oblastnaya Gazeta · Oct 6, 202618

  3. Oct 5, 2026

    On the record

    Kobzev said close contacts could be sent home the following week.

    Celine Gounder · Oct 6, 2026

  4. Oct 5, 2026

    On the record

    The US State Department said it is monitoring the situation with the CDC and urged Russia to share information openly. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it is not cause for alarm but is cause for focus.

    Al Jazeera · RFE/RL · Oct 5, 202695

  5. Oct 5, 2026

    On the record

    WHO said no cause of death has been officially confirmed, that laboratory testing is reportedly underway, and that on unofficial information the public health risk to the general population appears to be low.

    WHO › via Newsweek · Oct 5, 202610

  6. Oct 4, 2026

    On the record

    Rospotrebnadzor said its inspection found no accidents involving disease-causing microorganisms at the institute, and that contact testing turned up two COVID-19 cases and two rhinovirus infections and nothing else.

    Rospotrebnadzor › via Interfax, reported by Discover Magazine · Oct 5, 2026

  7. Oct 3, 2026

    On the record

    The Irkutsk Aluminum Plant required staff to wear masks as a precaution.

    RFE/RL · AP › via PBS NewsHour · Oct 5, 20265

  8. Oct 2, 2026

    On the record

    Buryatia head Alexei Tsydenov posted that the woman had died of plague, then edited the post to say she may have died of plague. He said there are no plague outbreaks in Buryatia, including the areas bordering Mongolia.

    Newsweek · Meduza · Oct 5, 2026101

  9. Oct 2, 2026

    On the record

    Kobzev said all identified contacts were under medical observation, showed no signs of illness, and had negative laboratory results.

    The Moscow Times · Oct 2, 20262

  10. Oct 2, 2026

    On the record

    More than 60 institute staff were confined to the building.

    RFE/RL · Oct 5, 20265

  11. Oct 2, 2026

    On the record

    Shelekhov district mayor Maxim Modin confirmed the hospital was under quarantine. Governor Igor Kobzev convened the regional anti-epidemic commission and Anna Popova, Russia's chief sanitary officer, travelled to Irkutsk.

    Meduza · Oct 2, 20261

  12. Oct 1-2, 2026

    On the record

    She died in the intensive care unit. Sources disagree on whether the death falls on Oct 1 or in the early hours of Oct 2.

    RFE/RL · Euronews · Newsweek · Oct 5, 20265310

  13. Oct 1, 2026

    On the record

    Reports that the Shelekhov district hospital's inpatient department had closed appeared on social media.

    Meduza · Oct 2, 20261

  14. Sep 29, 2026

    On the record

    WHO published its global plague trends update for 2019 to 2025. Russia is not among the 10 countries listed as reporting suspected human plague cases.

    WHO · Sep 29, 2026

  15. Sep 29, 2026

    On the record

    She was admitted to the Shelekhov district hospital with severe pneumonia.

    Meduza · RFE/RL · Oct 2, 202615

  16. Sep 27, 2026

    In dispute

    Her condition reportedly worsened and she was taken to hospital. Other reports date the admission two days later.

    Local media › via Euronews · Oct 4, 20263

  17. Sep 25, 2026

    In dispute

    The worker reportedly broke a test tube containing live Yersinia pestis while working with biological material at the institute. Rospotrebnadzor says no such accident was recorded.

    Lyudi Baikala › via RFE/RL · Oct 5, 20265

  18. 2016

    On the record

    Russia's last recorded human plague case before this event: a 10-year-old in the Altai Republic.

    Meduza · Oct 2, 20261