YERSINIA PESTIS MONITOR
Real-time monitoring of Yersinia pestis plague events, including the reported Irkutsk, Russia cluster, from verified public sources.
Last updated:
Confirmed Cases
2,646
WHO, 2019–2025
Suspected Cases
3,847
WHO, 2019–2025
Deaths
423
Among suspected cases
Countries
6
With confirmed cases
CFR
11.0%
423 / 3,847
Russia, Irkutsk
200
Suspected, not WHO confirmed
- Critical
- High
- Moderate
- Low
- Unverified / under investigation
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Situation Brief
What is reported
- WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record (25 Sep 2026): 2,646 confirmed plague cases, 3,847 suspected and 423 deaths for 2019–2025.
- Case fatality is 11% among suspected cases (423 of 3,847).
- DR Congo and Madagascar account for 97.7% of confirmed cases.
- Russia: 200 suspected cases in Irkutsk, people under observation after contact with a reported infection. Not a WHO confirmed count.
Awaiting verification
- Laboratory confirmation of Yersinia pestis in Irkutsk
- Official WHO or Russian health authority confirmation of the Irkutsk figures
- Clinical form of the disease (pneumonic, bubonic or septicemic)
- Whether any onward human-to-human transmission has occurred
Event details
Irkutsk, Russia
Suspected Plague Event
- Reported
- Oct 4, 2026
- Pathogen
- Yersinia pestis
- Type
- Bacterial
- Transmission
- Contact exposure under observation
- Confirmed
- Pending verification
- Deaths
- —
- Risk Level
- High
- Sources
- Visegrád 24
200 suspected
200 suspected cases: people under observation after contact with a reported infection, according to a Visegrád 24 post. The post describes a possible plague outbreak in Siberia and a lab worker who died at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute. This is not a WHO confirmed-case count.
Event timeline
Initial Report
Lab worker reported dead at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute
Contact Tracing
200 people under observation after contact
Laboratory Investigation
Confirmation of Yersinia pestis pending
Current Status
Pending
Latest Intelligence
7 updates- Oct 4, 2026
Russia: 200 suspected cases in Irkutsk, people under observation after contact with a reported infection, per Visegrád 24. Not a WHO confirmed count.
Source → (Visegrád 24, opens in a new tab) - 25 Sep 2026
WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record: 2,646 confirmed plague cases, 3,847 suspected and 423 deaths for 2019–2025. CFR 11% among suspected cases.
Source → (WHO WER, opens in a new tab) - 2019–2025
Democratic Republic of the Congo: 1,893 confirmed, 1,893 suspected, 101 deaths. With Madagascar, 97.7% of confirmed cases.
Source → (WHO WER, opens in a new tab) - 2019–2025
Madagascar: 693 confirmed, 1,482 suspected, 307 deaths. Endemic, season September–April.
Source → (WHO WER, opens in a new tab) - 2019–2025
Kenya: 22 confirmed, 375 suspected, 0 deaths in the country table.
Source → (WHO WER, opens in a new tab) - 2019–2025
China: 19 confirmed cases, mainly Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Gansu. Mongolia: 17 confirmed cases. Suspected cases and deaths are not in the country table.
Source → (WHO WER, opens in a new tab) - 2019
Uganda: 2 confirmed, 2 suspected, 1 death, reported only in 2019.
Source → (WHO WER, opens in a new tab)
Data & Sources
ContagionTrack aggregates publicly available information from trusted health agencies, government reporting, scientific institutions and verified news organizations.
- WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record
- Visegrád 24