US Reiterates “Do Not Travel” Warning For Russia After Lab Worker’s Death Raises Plague Fears

The Trump administration formally asked Russia for details about the reported death of a laboratory worker at a facility studying pneumonic plague in Siberia’s Irkutsk region. Russian authorities said they found no plague in the deceased worker or contacts.

*US PREPARING FORMAL REQUEST TO RUSSIA ON PLAGUE DEATH: WAPO

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) October 6, 2026

Overnight, the U.S. Embassy reiterated its “Do Not Travel” warning for Russia and urged Americans already in the country to leave immediately.

“The U.S. Embassy is aware of press reports from the Irkutsk region of suspected pneumonic plague resulting in the death of an individual and of associated quarantine measures in, and closures of, hospitals in Irkutsk,” the U.S. Embassy in Moscow wrote in an advisory overnight. 

Irkutsk, Russia: The U.S. Embassy is aware of press reports from the Irkutsk region of suspected pneumonic plague resulting in the death of an individual and of associated quarantine measures in, and closures of, hospitals in Irkutsk. We continue to track the situation closely. The U.S. government has limited ability to help U.S. citizens in Russia, especially outside of Moscow. The State Department’s Level 4 Travel Advisory (Do Not Travel) for Russia remains in place and states U.S. citizens currently in Russia should depart immediately. U.S. citizens planning travel to Russia are again strongly advised not to travel to Russia due to risk of wrongful detention and security concerns. More at: https://t.co/rgpoFm6YhH

— TravelGov (@TravelGov) October 6, 2026

The embassy continued, “We continue to track the situation closely. The U.S. government has limited ability to help U.S. citizens in Russia, especially outside of Moscow. U.S. government personnel may face additional restrictions for personal and official travel to specific regions due to health and security concerns.” 

Latest reporting:

• Kremlin Says Russians Should Ignore “Rumors” On Possible Plague Outbreak In Siberia
• Russian Lab Worker’s Abrupt Death Sparks Plague Crisis Concerns; Trump Team “Monitoring Outbreak”
• Siberian Plague-Lab Death Draws FSB Escort For Ambulances

Russia’s health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said Tuesday that 60% of the lab worker’s identified contacts had been tested. Officials reported no plague detected among those screened, but testing identified two Covid-19 cases and two rhinovirus infections.

“No other infectious disease pathogens were detected among the contacts,” Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement that did not explicitly mention plague.

President Trump said Tuesday he had a call scheduled with Russian President Putin to discuss the health crisis matter. 

Separately, a State Department official told NBC News on Tuesday that the U.S. government spoke with Moscow health officials as early as Friday. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote on X yesterday that it was “working across the U.S. government to assess developments as additional information becomes available.”

Dr. Peter McCullough, a Texas cardiologist, who created a “multi-drug protocol” aimed at early treatment of Covid-19, wrote on X: 

More Than 21 Plague Vaccines Are Already in Development: mRNA, saRNA, DNA, Viral Vector, Bacterial Vector, Subunit, and Live-Attenuated. 

Why were governments and military biodefense programs already investing so heavily in plague vaccines before the current plague hysteria erupted? by Nicolas Hulscher, MPH URL TheFocalPoints. 

More Than 21 Plague Vaccines Are Already in Development: mRNA, saRNA, DNA, Viral Vector, Bacterial Vector, Subunit, and Live-Attenuated Why were governments and military biodefense programs already investing so heavily in plague vaccines before the current plague hysteria erupted? by Nicolas Hulscher, MPH URL TheFocalPoints. @NicHulscher @McCulloughFund

— Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH® (@P_McCulloughMD) October 7, 2026

More from Nicolas Hulscher: 

Israel has already developed an experimental mRNA PLAGUE vaccine. I will NOT be taking it. I’d rather take my chances with doxycycline and its 97% SURVIVAL RATE. https://t.co/UK4ErTyaTJ

— Nicolas Hulscher, MPH (@NicHulscher) October 6, 2026

A Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday evening said the U.S. warned Moscow that its failure to disclose details about the lab worker death violates international health obligations.