Donald Trump Admits He's 'Concerned' About Russia's Plague-Like Pneumonia Outbreak

President Donald Trump expressed concern over a reported pneumonia outbreak in Russia while speaking to reporters outside the White House on Monday, October 5.

When asked about the situation, Trump said he is "concerned" but had not yet spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the reported health issue.

"The pneumonia plague, if you call it a plague," Trump said.

"I hate to see them having it. It’s a rough disease. That’s a disease we used to be able to control. But somehow those microbes have gotten stronger and smarter. They’re like an army," he added.

Trump said medicine had made great advances, but he believed the "germs have really become relatively stronger than they were."

He also reflected on concerns about the changing nature of illnesses and treatments.

"Things that used to work on pneumonia don’t work as well anymore," he said.

"But we’ll help them," he added.

Per The Guardian, a 28-year-old female employee, Darya Shipilova, working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East, died last week after developing pneumonia of an undetermined origin.

According to NBC News, regional governor Igor Kobsev said testing did not find microorganisms connected to the woman’s work.

A hospital facility was later placed under quarantine, while nearly 200 people who had contact with the woman were placed under medical observation.

The U.S. State Department also urged Russian authorities to provide more information as officials assessed the situation.

"Many details have not been confirmed," a State Department spokesperson told the outlet.

"We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly," the statement added.

Pneumonic plague affects the lungs and is considered the most severe form of plague by the World Health Organization.

The illness can have an incubation period of as little as 24 hours and can spread through respiratory particles.

Early detection and treatment can lead to a strong chance of recovery.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke about the reported illness during a Monday, October 5, press conference, according to CNN International.

"We know what we know, obviously, about whatever the Russians have provided, which is it seems that there was a worker at the lab that was infected, and there’s concern that that could have spread, at least internally," Rubio said.

"So you’ve seen them do quarantines with this – of that nature. There’s very limited travel between the U.S. and Russia, obviously," he added.

"But like anything else, something like that gets out, it could quickly spread. So we’re watching and monitoring it closely. I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it, and we’re doing that," he concluded.