Abstract:
The Trump administration is preparing to send a formal diplomatic note to Russia requesting more details about deaths related to a pneumonic plague research facility in Siberia and the subsequent quarantine measures, according to U.S. officials.
The proposed request comes amid growing U.S. frustration with the lack of detailed information from Russia. Earlier, Russia's public health agency reported that a laboratory employee at an institute specializing in plague in the Irkutsk region died after being diagnosed with pneumonia of "unknown" cause. Officials said the official U.S. message - known in diplomatic parlance as a "démarche" - was intended to remind Russia of its obligation under international law to promptly share information about disease outbreaks with other governments. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity discussing sensitive foreign affairs.
Russian authorities have quarantined several hospitals in the region, but health officials downplayed the seriousness of the situation. There is still no conclusive evidence that the deceased laboratory employee was infected with pneumonic plague, an airborne variant of bubonic plague.
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