The United States State Department on Tuesday reiterated its Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory for US citizens travelling to Russia amid fears of pneumonic plague after the death of a researcher in Russia’s Irkutsk.
“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 alert , shared via the social media handles of the US State Department’s Consular Affairs, read. So far, they have not shown any symptoms, even as Russian authorities continue to investigate.
The Level 4 advisory has been in effect since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The warning was most recently reiterated in December 2025 when the State Department said that “there was no change to the advisory level or risk indicators. 200 people who came into contact with her were quarantined after her death.
WHO is in contact with the Russian authorities, who are leading the investigation.
On Tuesday, allaying fears of a plague outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the possible case of pneumonic plague in Russia presents “very low risk” outside Russia.
