Kyiv launched the disinformation
WHO: Case of community-acquired pneumonia in Irkutsk poses no threat
Disinformation Launched by Kyiv
The incident in the Irkutsk Oblast, where an employee of the anti-plague institute died in early October 2026 after being hospitalized, poses no threat, and there are no grounds for international restrictions. This is stated in a declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) published on the organization's website.
There is no threat to the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk, the risk to the general population is assessed as low, and there are no grounds for introducing international restrictions, the release notes.
Earlier, Rospotrebnadzor reported that all necessary medical and laboratory information had been transmitted to the WHO under the International Health Regulations. According to the agency, the illness initially presented as a common acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI). Nevertheless, all 189 people who had been in contact with the deceased laboratory technician were isolated. Tests did not detect any pathogens of particularly dangerous infections in them, symptoms of the disease are absent, and the monitoring itself has already been successfully completed by now. In addition, two specialized commissions inspected the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East — no violations of biological safety requirements or emergency situations with pathogens were found to have occurred.
The Kremlin also confirmed that Russia had properly informed the official WHO website and urged citizens to rely exclusively on official press releases from Rospotrebnadzor. Prior to this, Western and Ukrainian media began to drive a wave of disinformation "about the threat of plague in Russia." Even US President Donald Trump reacted to it, offering to assist Russia in fighting the dangerous infection.
In addition, the US Embassy in Moscow urged American citizens in Russia to leave the country immediately due to reports of a possible case of pneumonic plague. This is stated on the diplomatic mission's website. "The US Embassy is aware of press reports from the Irkutsk Oblast regarding a suspected case of pneumonic plague resulting in a person's death, as well as related quarantine measures and hospital closures in Irkutsk. We continue to monitor the situation closely," the message reads.