Palace: DOH ‘closely monitoring’ plague concerns in Russia

This photo shows a woman walking past the logo of Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer and health watchdog in Moscow on October 5, 2026.

AFP / Igor Ivanko

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang assured the public on Wednesday, October 7, that the Department of Health (DOH) has started to monitor the plague risk in Russia, although international health officials said there were no signs of an outbreak.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said at a press briefing in Singapore that the state’s health department is following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding concerns about the plague.

“Rest assured po sa mga kababayan natin po na nakatutok po ang DOH at kung ano man po ang kinakailangan pang gawin, ‘yun po ay kanilang gagawin. So far ay nami-meet naman po nila ang mga requirements para maibsan ang takot natin tungkol dito sa plague na nangyayari sa Russia,” Castro said.

(Rest assured, our fellow countrymen, that the DOH is focused on the concerns, and whatever needs to be done, they will do that. So far, they are meeting the requirements to relieve our fears about the reported plague in Russia.)

The plague concerns came following the death of a laboratory technician in Russia who was working at a plague research institute.

Authorities are investigating whether the lab technician died of pneumonic plague, raising global concerns.

The WHO, however, stressed that there is no need to be alarmed as no signs of a wider outbreak were detected.

Plague refers to an infectious disease primarily affecting rodents and micromammals and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected fleas.

Pneumonic plague, which is the most dangerous form of plague, infects the lungs and can be transmitted from person to person through droplets released from breathing, coughing, or sneezing.