U.S. issues alert over suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia

The U.S. Embassy in Russia has issued an alert after reports from the Irkutsk region about a suspected case of pneumonic plague that resulted in one person’s death, along with reports of quarantine measures and hospital closures.

The embassy said it is closely monitoring the situation but did not confirm the suspected plague case or establish that the death was caused by the disease.

The U.S. government also warned that its ability to assist American citizens in Russia is limited, particularly outside Moscow.

The State Department’s Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Russia remains in effect. The advisory urges U.S. citizens currently in the country to leave immediately and strongly advises Americans not to travel to Russia due to risks including arbitrary detention and security concerns.