[Anchor]

International concern is growing over the death of a researcher at a Russian plague research institute from pneumonia. As suspicions grow over the possibility of a plague infection, the World Health Organization and the United States have urged Russia to transparently disclose information.

Reporter Gwak Sang-eun has the details.

[Reporter]

The plague research institute in Irkutsk, Russia, where a researcher died from severe pneumonia on October 2, just three days after being hospitalized.

Although the Russian government stated that neither a plague infection nor a pathogen leak has been confirmed, questions still remain unanswered.

In addition to rumors that the Russian Federal Security Service, rather than health authorities, was involved in transferring the deceased researcher to the hospital, local media outlets have also published unverified reports of a second death.

[Stephane Dujarric / UN Spokesperson: I understand that the World Health Organization has indicated the risk is low. That seems to have been announced before the reports of a second death emerged. The World Health Organization continues to communicate with Russian authorities.]

Suspicions have also been raised that the institute is linked to Russia's development of military biological weapons.

[Ashish Jha / Former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator: This institute has a long history of conducting research on military biological weapons, and Russia has heavily invested in expanding its biological weapons program. This is why there are concerns that something more is happening.]

As a result, arguments are being made that it must be investigated whether there were attempts to artificially alter the characteristics of the pathogen, such as increasing its infectivity or drug resistance.

As suspicions mount, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that he has requested additional information from Russia regarding the cause of the severe pneumonia suffered by the deceased and whether any additional pneumonia cases have occurred.

The United States has also repeatedly urged Russia to share information transparently, with President Trump stating that he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

[Donald Trump / US President: We have a call scheduled. We will be speaking very soon. (How are the intelligence agencies viewing this?) It's currently being discussed in depth, and I will probably be able to tell you about it around tomorrow.]

As uncertainty continues surrounding the mysterious death at the Russian plague research institute, anxiety persists in the international community, which previously suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Video Editing: SUNGHOON)