Tengrinews.kz — World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the WHO is currently unable to conduct a full risk assessment following the death of an employee at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute because it lacks all necessary information.
He made the announcement during a press conference in Geneva yesterday.
According to him, the WHO requested additional information from Russia on Saturday, October 3, in accordance with International Health Regulations. Russia responded on Tuesday, October 6, clarifying that no cases of plague had recently been registered in the Irkutsk region.
"However, the WHO has requested further information regarding laboratory tests conducted on the deceased employee and her contacts, more detailed information on what prompted the sanitary and epidemiological measures, and information on the health status of the contacts. We have also requested confirmation of media reports regarding a second employee with pneumonia of unknown cause," he said.
The WHO offered technical support on matters related to plague, as well as biosafety and biosecurity in laboratories. Since the organization's representatives do not yet have a complete picture of the incident, they cannot conduct a full risk assessment, Ghebreyesus noted.
At the same time, he emphasized that the timely, complete, and transparent exchange of information in accordance with International Health Regulations is essential for clarifying conflicting reports and conducting an accurate assessment of potential public health risks.
LIVE: @WHO media briefing on global health issues https://t.co/cAxpZJ9J4J
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) October 7, 2026
As a reminder, 28-year-old Darya Shipilova died on the night of October 2 in the intensive care unit of the Shelekhov District Hospital. She worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute and was professionally involved in the study of dangerous pathogens.
Earlier, the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan reported that they are monitoring the situation in the Irkutsk region. Against the backdrop of reports regarding a possible infection with a highly dangerous pathogen, sanitary and quarantine controls have been tightened at the border.
Pneumonic plague is a rapidly progressing lung infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is transmitted through close contact with a patient via infected respiratory droplets. The disease is characterized by high mortality rates but is highly treatable with modern antibiotics.
