Plague matters...
The United States has urged its citizens to leave Russia due to the threat of plague.
Maxim Stoletov
The U.S. Embassy in Russia published this warning for Americans currently in Russia and planning to travel to our country on its website. The embassy stated that it is monitoring media reports regarding a probable case of pneumonic plague in the Irkutsk region, which resulted in a fatality, as well as quarantine measures and hospital closures in Irkutsk.
The embassy emphasized that the US government has very limited capacity to provide assistance to its citizens in Russia, particularly outside of Moscow. Americans in Russia are advised to follow the guidance of local health authorities, avoid restricted healthcare facilities, and seek immediate medical attention if they develop fever or respiratory symptoms. Those who have been in areas of potential outbreaks are advised to self-monitor for 14 days.
As a reminder, media outlets previously reported that an employee of an anti-plague institute in Russia's Irkutsk region died of suspected plague. It was presumed that the deceased accidentally broke a test tube containing the dangerous bacteria in the lab while collecting biological material for diagnostic testing. The cause of death for the 28-year-old woman in the Irkutsk region is currently being described as pneumonia of undetermined etiology.
In response to the situation, part of the Shelekhov District Hospital was quarantined, and those who had been in contact with the woman were placed under medical observation. Rospotrebnadzor, however, denied reports of a plague outbreak and stated that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk, Shelekhov, and the Irkutsk region remains calm. Therefore, according to official data, as of early October 2026, there is no plague epidemic in the Irkutsk region.
At the same time, the Ministry of Health reported on the measures taken in Kazakhstan following the news of a suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection in Russia. Russians who survived the COVID-19 epidemic reacted to these reports with alarm.
At the same time, Rospotrebnadzor reported that medical observation has been completed for more than 90% of contacts. No infectious-related health problems have been identified, and nearly 5,000 laboratory tests have found no dangerous microorganisms.
And the mere fact that quarantine measures were introduced doesn't mean the patient had been confirmed to have the plague or that an epidemic had broken out in the region. So why did the plague theory emerge?
Following the death of the institute employee, unconfirmed reports began circulating online about a possible emergency involving pathogenic microorganisms and her supposed exposure to the plague. Ukrainian media and Telegram channels were particularly active in promoting this theory. Rospotrebnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) has not confirmed this theory. Medical personnel have identified nearly 200 people who may have been in contact with the infected woman. Rospotrebnadzor reports that four of these contacts were indeed infected, but these were not plague cases: two cases of COVID-19 and two cases of rhinovirus. No other infectious agents were detected in those tested.
But many know that plague is a severe bacterial infection, and anxiety has spread across our society. The WHO emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis: the pneumonic form can quickly lead to death if left untreated. Isolation of the patient and anti-epidemic measures are especially important, as the disease can be transmitted to others.
According to the WHO, from 2019 to 2025, ten countries reported a total of 3,860 suspected cases of plague. In the six countries with confirmed cases, there were 3,847 suspected cases and 423 deaths. Most of the confirmed cases occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar. The WHO notes that these countries remain the main foci of human plague. And all these facts are skillfully "adapted" to Ukrainian fakes and replicated in Russia.
Clearly, the current situation is fundamentally different from the medieval period, when the plague raged across Europe. It's also different from the epidemics of the first half of the 20th century. In the spring of 1918, news services reported that outbreaks of the "Spanish flu"—an epidemic caused by the H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin—were detected in Madrid (hence the name). The flu emerged in Europe, the United States, and some Asian countries, and then spread throughout the world. But historical records also retain information about this epidemic, which is in no way connected to the plague.
Incidentally, the Soviet Union became the first country in the world to eradicate the plague. "An anti-plague service was created. Under the Soviet government, a structure of medical institutions was established specifically to combat plague throughout the country—there's no equivalent," said infectious disease specialist Andrei Dmitrovsky. Today, laboratory diagnostics, antibiotics, patient isolation, contact monitoring, and epidemiological surveillance systems are in place. Therefore, the detection of a single suspected case does not in itself indicate the start of an epidemic. The WHO considers ongoing monitoring of animals, rodents, and natural foci a crucial part of prevention.
In the context of the situation in the Irkutsk region, the presence of quarantine measures and testing of contacts does not necessarily mean a confirmed outbreak. On October 6, Rospotrebnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) specifically denied reports of the introduction of enhanced sanitary and epidemiological measures and strict entry and exit restrictions in the region. However, preventive and anti-epidemic measures continued.
Two commissions inspected the institute's compliance with biological safety requirements and found no emergency situations involving pathogens. On October 7, Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) reported no epidemic risks for the population of Irkutsk and the Irkutsk region.
Nevertheless, the internet is abuzz with reports of plague in the Irkutsk region. The Americans, it seems, are the most alarmed. At every level, they're calling on Moscow "not to hide information" and their citizens to flee Russia immediately. And one might think the situation is quite serious, given that President Trump himself is actively offering Moscow assistance. The plague theory has become so popular that no one wants to listen to Rospotrebnadzor's denials. And, frankly, the denial—"there's no plague, but the girl died of pneumonia of unknown etiology"—is unconvincing.
On October 7, Rospotrebnadzor reported: "Preventive and anti-epidemic measures have been organized comprehensively; there are no epidemic risks for the population of Irkutsk and the Irkutsk region." Meanwhile, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the World Health Organization (WHO) had been informed of the epidemiological situation in the Angara region "in accordance with existing practice." Responding to journalists' questions about the Kremlin's reaction to Washington's proposal, Peskov said that the offer of mutual assistance from other countries is a positive development: "It's good when mutual assistance is offered." He also once again suggested relying on Rospotrebnadzor, which, he said, provides detailed information on current developments.
Meanwhile, the Russian segment of the internet was filled with jokes: supposedly, just in case, "the public" began buying "plague doctor masks" and Albert Camus's novel "The Plague" on marketplaces. But suddenly, it turned out that the US can't sleep peacefully because of our news. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with a knowing look, urges Moscow "not to remain silent" and to provide more information "about the plague outbreak." Following his lead, the American embassy in Moscow urgently urged citizens to flee home to the US, where everything is as wonderful as the famous "marquise." Thus, unverified and already debunked information is being circulated by the US authorities. For what purpose? Clearly, in an attempt to sow panic.
At the same time, liberal and anti-Russian websites are undisguisedly delighted in reporting on the plague in Russia, an impending catastrophe, and even the preparation of a sanitary control regime in Moscow. This is despite the WHO's position that there are no risks associated with the case of community-acquired pneumonia in Irkutsk, according to Rospotrebnadzor. Online commentators have called the avalanche of plague rumors in Irkutsk a "brilliantly executed information operation."
But while Trump was discussing in the Oval Office what to do about a plague that didn't even exist and preparing to call President Putin (the conversation had already taken place, and not a word was said about the plague in Russia), Americans are dying from outbreaks of dangerous diseases in their own country. For example, the United States is currently experiencing the worst measles epidemic in 35 years, which has already claimed several lives. In Pennsylvania alone, the number of cases is in the thousands, and New York City has even had to declare a state of emergency.
Meanwhile, tropical fever has swept through Florida, with hundreds infected and casualties. Furthermore, since the beginning of this year, an outbreak of typhus has been reported in the United States, with 205 Americans diagnosed with typhoid fever and legionellosis cases being reported. Equally alarming are cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD), also known as the "zombie virus." We're grateful for the offer of assistance, as Peskov said, but Trump and his subordinates should be focusing on their own problems first.
Earlier, Donald Trump, speaking to reporters, called reports of a possible death from pneumonic plague in Siberia a "big problem" and a "serious illness." He emphasized that Washington is prepared to do everything possible to support Moscow, noting that he considers Vladimir Putin a person with whom he can do business, despite the conflict in Ukraine.
Irkutsk regional authorities have responded to US President Donald Trump's offer of assistance in connection with an alleged outbreak of pneumonic plague in Siberia. Elena Sofyina, deputy head of the Shelekhovsky District for social affairs, stated that the region is fully in control of the situation and does not require outside intervention. On her official social media page, she wrote, in part: "The dangerous diagnosis has not been confirmed, but we are still following all protocol measures. Sixty percent of patients have already been released from quarantine."
Continuing with the plague theme, according to official data, an average of seven cases of plague, including fatal ones, are registered in the United States annually. Five cases of plague in humans have been registered in the state of New Mexico (USA) over the past four years. Among animals, five cases were identified during the same period in 2026, five in 2025, one in 2024, and none in 2023. In 2026, plague was detected in four dogs and one wild mammal.
The official website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also notes that in some years, 17 cases of plague infection were recorded in the United States. The last urban plague epidemic in the United States occurred in Los Angeles in 1924–1925, after which the disease spread from urban rats to rural rodents and became established in many areas of the western part of the country. The report also indicates that the majority of human cases in the United States occur in northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, southern Oregon, and western Nevada.
It's worth noting that a plague pandemic scenario is virtually impossible today thanks to antibiotics and epidemiological control regulations, but the causative agent of the disease—the Yersinia pestis bacterium—still occurs in nature. And given this harsh reality, do American authorities feel the need to point out to the Russians how bad things are? As the saying goes, don't blame the plague-ridden American head on the healthy Russian one.
It seems that by escalating the media's hype around the alleged outbreak of plague in Siberian regions, the Russian population is being threatened with a possible epidemic. Today, Ukraine is sending drones deep into Russia's rear not only to demonstrate that there are currently no safe regions in Russia and thereby sow fear in society.
Kyiv is demonstrating its capabilities to warn Moscow of its long-range strike capabilities. The Omsk region, for example, experienced its third major attack by Ukrainian drones. They also attacked Russia's largest oil refinery in Omsk, located approximately 2,500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. And where is the guarantee that the Kyiv regime won't use biological weapons in the region? There are no such guarantees.
Ukraine housed more than 30 secret US laboratories, where pathogens causing plague, cholera, dysentery, anthrax, tularemia, and other deadly diseases were studied and cultivated. Epidemiologist and former Chief Sanitary Doctor of Russia Gennady Onishchenko noted that "the purpose of the network of American biolaboratories in Ukraine is to create an offensive military potential against Russia."
According to the academic, the Russian military must carefully take control of them, "this is a vital task to prevent a catastrophe." But the laboratories have disappeared from the part of Ukrainian territory liberated by our army. The question is: where have these "viper nests" gone?
"The Russian military is aiming to neutralize Ukrainian biological laboratories. That's why the Americans tried to remove all the samples from Ukraine. However, it's unclear where they were going—in the United States, such research is prohibited; it blatantly violates the BTWC," said expert and Doctor of Chemical Sciences Leonid Rink. "Furthermore, judging by the documents found, the Ukrainian leadership knew everything."
There are reports that some laboratories have relocated to Western Ukraine, where several were already operating in Lviv. Incidentally, the US Embassy's call on American citizens to leave Russia (or not to travel to Russia) due to the risk of contracting the plague remains in effect, at least as of this writing.
