President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday he plans to communicate soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This development comes as the U.S. closely monitors reports of a suspected pneumonic plague death in Siberia. The situation has triggered a U.S. health alert and increased health precautions in several neighboring countries to Russia.
Trump shared information about the scheduled call while responding to journalists’ inquiries. When asked about communicating with Putin regarding the plague reports, Trump confirmed he has a call arranged.
“I have a call scheduled,” Trump stated.
He mentioned that the call would occur “very soon.” Trump’s comments followed a health alert from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. The alert referenced media reports from Russia’s Irkutsk region discussing a “suspected pneumonic plague” case with some quarantine and hospital closure measures in place. “We continue to track the situation closely,” the embassy said.
A State Department representative explained that the department is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other partners to monitor the fatal case in Irkutsk Oblast. “The Trump Administration prioritizes the safety and security of Americans,” the spokesperson added.
The representative advised caution, highlighting that “many details remain unconfirmed,” and urged Moscow to swiftly provide clear information. The alert advised Americans in the region to adhere to local health guidelines, avoid affected medical facilities, and seek medical care if they develop symptoms such as fever or respiratory issues. Travelers to outbreak areas were advised to monitor their health for 14 days.
The State Department’s existing Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Russia is still in effect. The embassy emphasized the limited ability to assist Americans there, especially outside Moscow, and recommended those currently in Russia should leave.
Meanwhile, some nations bordering Russia are implementing enhanced health measures due to these reports. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have announced new sanitary precautions.
A 28-year-old staff member at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute reportedly died from pneumonia of an unspecified origin last week. Russia clarified that testing did not find plague microorganisms linked to her work. Contacts of the deceased tested negative for serious pathogens, and the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed the public risk as low.
The CDC is monitoring the situation in collaboration with the U.S. government and noted no current threat to the United States.
Pneumonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, can spread between individuals via respiratory droplets. It remains treatable with antibiotics when identified early.
U.S. officials continue to seek more details on the Irkutsk incident to determine any broader threat implications. Trump indicated more information could be released by Wednesday.
The White House did not immediately address inquiries for comment from Fox News Digital.
Jasmine Baehr writes breaking news for Fox News Digital, focusing on topics such as politics, the military, legal debates, and cultural issues.