#19,364
Two days ago the WHO posted the above statement on the Russian `Lab Leak' Story we've been following for nearly a week. Since then, we've continued to see denials from the Russian government, which insists they are dealing with a single fatal case of pneumonia of unknown etiology.
They have reported no plague; no laboratory accident; and no epidemiological risk to the public.
At the same time, Rospotrebnadzor reportedly claimed they'd performed nearly 5,000 `laboratory tests' since this `non-event' supposedly happened, which seems a rather extreme response.
While it is fair to say that we don't know exactly what happened - or may still be happening - at that Siberian lab, the Russian's explanations are meeting with a fair amount of international skepticism.
A little over an hour ago the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted the following statement (made yesterday, Oct. 7th) on Twitter/X
Last Friday, the 2nd of October, the first media reports emerged of a suspected case of pneumonic plague in a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute in the Russian Federation. The lab worker died after being hospitalized with severe pneumonia. Initial media reports suggested pneumonic plague following an accidental lab exposure. is aware that the Russian government held a meeting on the 2nd of October because they suspected a resident of the Irkutsk oblast had contracted a dangerous infection. On Saturday, WHO asked the Russian Federation for more information, in accordance with the International Health Regulations. On Tuesday, the Russian Federation responded, saying that no case of plague had recently been reported in the Irkutsk oblast, and that they had placed about 200 contacts in quarantine. However, WHO has requested further information on the laboratory tests conducted on the individual who died and the contacts, more detail on what prompted the public health measures, and details about the health status of the contacts. We have also sought verification of media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause. WHO has offered technical support related to plague and lab biosafety and biosecurity. As we don’t yet have the full picture of this event, we are not able to conduct a full risk assessment. Timely, complete and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks.
While cloaked in diplomatic prose, it seems pretty clear the WHO isn't fully buying what the Russian government is selling.
Stay tuned. This could have legs.
