US monitoring suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia, State Department official says

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The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia and is urging Moscow to share accurate information quickly as details remain unconfirmed.

AFormer CIA officerU.S.intelligencecommunity is likely to be collecting all-source intelligence on the incident.

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doctor in protective gear swabs infected patient

A man has his nose swabbed.The State Department is monitoring reports of a suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia.(iStock)

“I would also expect our embassy in Moscow to be engaging with their diplomatic counterparts at an official level because we might have people in Russia who might be at risk,” Hoffman warned.

“Washington will be speaking to all of our allies and partners in the region and sharing what we know.”

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Plague bacteria (Yersinia pestis) causes bubonic plague and is carried in the pathogen of rats, and there are still many regions of the world where the disease occurs.(iStock)

Pneumonic plague can be treated with common antibiotics, especially when treatment begins early, the official said.Appropriate therapy should begin as soon as plague is suspected, and patients can be treated with intravenous or oral antimicrobials depending on the severity of illness and other factors, according to the CDC.

A researcher is seen conducting a test in a lab in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois Chicago on March 05, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

A State Department official says the U.S.is tracking reports of a suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Russia while pressing Moscow for timely, accurate information.(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

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Cases of pneumonic plague occur naturally in many parts of the world, according to the State Department official.

The official said the safety and security of U.S.citizens remains the department’s top priority and encouraged Americans traveling overseas to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP, to receive updates.

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