Trump: Russia not “saying much” about plague, but says “under control"

At an Oval Office briefing, US President Donald Trump, who a day earlier said he had scheduled a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, says he was told by ‘Russia’ the plague risk is “very much under control.”

This following the death of one lab worker at plague research centre in Siberia. 200 other workers had been put under observation as officials try to identify the diseased woman’s cause of death.

Early reports had pointed to pneumonic plague though Russia has largely denied that claim.

Trump goes on to say Russia is staying relatively quiet on the matter, and draws similarities between how Russia is dealing with the situation and how China handled COVID-19.

"Well, China didn't say much, and Russia's not saying much either, but they do say they have it very much under control,” Trump says