Geneva, Oct. 7 -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday (local time) said that Russian health authorities have reported that no recent cases of plague were registered in Irkutsk oblast following the reported death of a laboratory worker who was hospitalised with severe pneumonia, while no high-threat pathogens were detected among identified contacts.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement on X, said that the UN health agency has been following up on the reported death of the laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute since initial media reports emerged.

The worker died on October 2 after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia. Initial media reports had suggested pneumonic plague fo...