Russia Rejects Second Plague-Lab Case as Trump Says Moscow Is Sharing Only «a Little Bit

Russia has officially denied reports of a second suspected infection connected to the mysterious death of a worker at a Siberian plague research laboratory. On October 8, public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor rejected what it called «fake information circulating on social media regarding a second case of illness», insisting there was no evidence of another infection.

The denial comes as Trump publicly questions how much information Moscow is providing about the incident. Comparing Russia’s response with China’s early handling of COVID-19, he told reporters, «Well, China didn’t say much and Russia’s not saying much either, but they do say they have it very much under control.»

Rospotrebnadzor says extensive testing supports its assurances. According to the agency, «No health issues related to an infectious disease were detected, and the results of nearly 5,000 laboratory tests showed no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms.» Russian authorities maintain that no plague infections have been identified and there is currently no evidence of a broader epidemic threat.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has also pushed back against international coverage surrounding the case. He said «the vast majority of what the media is reporting regarding this situation is false information» and urged journalists to rely on official Russian health authorities rather than unverified reports circulating online about possible additional infections.

Despite those assurances, Russian authorities have not publicly established what killed 28-year-old Darya Shipilova. The Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute employee died October 2 after developing severe pneumonia. Officials have described her condition as pneumonia of undetermined origin and said testing found no microorganism associated with her professional activities at the specialized laboratory.

Trump has acknowledged Moscow’s assurances without fully embracing them. Asked about speculation involving a biological weapon, he said, «Well, we don’t think so. We’re going to find out soon enough, but we don’t think so.» He added that Russian officials were saying the situation was «very much under control», while emphasizing that more information was still needed.

Authorities nevertheless mounted an extensive response after Shipilova’s death. Nearly 200 people identified as contacts were placed under medical observation, while areas of the hospital where she was treated were temporarily isolated. Russian officials also investigated allegations that her illness followed an accident involving a dangerous pathogen, something authorities say they found no evidence to support.

Attention then shifted to reports that another laboratory employee had developed pneumonia of undetermined cause. The claim has not been independently confirmed, and Russia now explicitly denies a second infection. However, the reports were significant enough for the World Health Organization to ask Moscow for clarification about whether another employee had become ill.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization had encountered reports from two media outlets, including one Russian source, and requested a response from Moscow. WHO official Maria Van Kerkhove emphasized that the central mystery remains unresolved, saying, «We don’t understand how she was infected», as the organization sought additional laboratory and contact-testing information.

The controversy expanded when Trump announced that he planned to discuss the situation with Vladimir Putin. Asked whether he had spoken with the Russian leader, Trump said, «I have a call scheduled. Yup.» When asked when it would occur, he answered, «Very soon», suggesting additional information about the incident could become available afterward.

The Kremlin subsequently said no Trump-Putin call had been scheduled, although Peskov indicated one could be arranged quickly. Meanwhile, Trump said Moscow was providing some information but wanted considerably more: «They’re sharing it a little bit with our people. We expect them to share a lot with our people.» For now, Russia denies a second infection while the first death remains unexplained.