President Donald Trump has said that the US does not believe a reported plague death in Russia is the result of a biological weapon and that officials are continuing to assess the situation.
Asked by reporters at the White House on Wednesday whether the plague was a biological weapon, Trump said, “Well, we don't think so. We're going to find out soon enough, but we don't think so.”
Trump said Russian authorities have described the situation as being under control but expressed caution about the assurances.
“And if you listen to them, it's under control,” said Trump.
“You know, people have said that before about other things.”
Trump said he hoped the situation would remain contained and that authorities would be able to manage the outbreak.
Referring to China's initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump added: "Well, China didn't say much, and Russia is not saying much either. But they do say they have it very much under control."
“So, we hope it is very sophisticated and very smart, and they're saying it's very much under control,” he said. “So, we hope not.”
Trump reiterated that he has a phone call scheduled with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue but would not say when.
"Today is Vladimir Putin's birthday," Trump added.
Cause undetermined
Several countries and international health authorities pressed Russia for greater transparency over the reported death of a laboratory technician in Siberia, as Moscow insisted there is no evidence of an epidemic and said the cause of death remains undetermined.
The international response follows reports that a 28-year-old woman working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute died on October 2 after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia.
Russian authorities said she died of pneumonia and that the cause has not been established, while reports that she contracted pneumonic plague have not been independently confirmed.
Russia’s health agency said that there were “no epidemic risks” and rejected suggestions of a confirmed plague outbreak.
Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it is seeking additional information from Russia on the death of a laboratory worker from suspected pneumonic plague, as well as reports of a second employee with pneumonia of unknown cause.
WHO officials said Russia described the illness as “community-acquired severe pneumonia of unknown aetiology, which would indicate that authorities believe the infection did not originate in the laboratory.”
