WASHINGTON, US – Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for heightened scrutiny of reports of a suspected plague outbreak in Russia, citing concerns over how authoritarian governments may handle disease outbreaks.
In a statement shared on social media, Pompeo said reports of a suspected “plague” outbreak in Russia should be treated with “the utmost seriousness”, particularly because of what he described as concerns surrounding the source of the information.
“The news of a suspected ‘plague’ outbreak from Russia should be treated with the utmost seriousness, especially considering the source,” Pompeo said.
Pompeo Invokes Lessons From Covid-19
Pompeo drew comparisons with the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that the response of governments to emerging outbreaks can affect how quickly diseases are contained.
“COVID showed us how the lies and obstruction of authoritarian governments seeking to cover their tracks can turn a containable outbreak into a global pandemic,” he said.
His remarks come amid reports concerning a Russian laboratory researcher who died after developing pneumonia of unknown origin.
Russian authorities have not confirmed that the illness was caused by plague and have said there was no evidence linking the researcher’s condition to pathogens she worked with.
Authorities in the Irkutsk region have also said the sanitary and epidemiological situation remains stable, while people who had contact with the researcher are being monitored.
The circumstances surrounding the researcher’s death remain under investigation.
