Here's where plague strikes most as Russia rejects outbreak scare
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As Russia denies an outbreak of the pneumonic plague, global data shows where the disease has popped up most in recent years.
Why it matters: Plague is treatable with antibiotics, but delayed treatment can be deadly, making early detection critical in regions where the disease persists.
Catch up quick: Darya Shipilova, who worked at the Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia, died earlier this month amid reports of possible exposure to the bacterium that causes the pneumonic plague.
- Russian health authorities have since said testing did not connect her illness to her work and that there had been no additional plague cases. Russia is adamant that the country's threat level has stabilized.
- Government officials and health experts worldwide are calling on Russia to share more information about Shipilova's death.
The big picture: Plague cases remain concentrated in several countries, particularly in African nations.
- Health officials track all cases of plague together, including the bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic forms.
By the numbers: The Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 1,893 confirmed cases from 2019 to 2024 — the most of any country, per the World Health Organization.
- Fellow African nations Madagascar (1,482 suspected, 693 confirmed cases) and Kenya (375 suspected, 22 confirmed cases) were also among the top hot spots.
- The United States reported only 25 cases during that time frame, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Zoom in: One U.S. case involved pneumonic plague.
- In October, the CDC published a report on a July 2025 pneumonic plague death in Coconino County, Arizona.
- According to the report, the young male patient was exposed to two sick domestic cats before he fell ill. He died roughly eight hours after being admitted to the hospital.
- 46 people were reportedly exposed, but none became ill thereafter.
What's next: Health officials will continue monitoring plague cases in affected regions as questions remain about whether Russia will release more information about Shipilova's death.
