The Guardian view on plague in Russia: what is most worrying is the lack of information | Editorial 18 October 2026 at 12:30

The Guardian view on plague in Russia: what is most worrying is the lack of information | Editorial

18 October 2026 at 12:30

In the three weeks since a health worker’s death in Siberia, officials have stonewalled the WHO – setting a worrying precedent for future pandemics

Is there a plague outbreak in Russia? If the answer were a clear yes, there shouldn’t be much reason to worry. With swift medical intervention, plague is treatable. But in the nearly three weeks since a worker at a Siberian plague research unit died of a mysterious respiratory illness, state officials have been consistently tight-lipped about what happened and whether there were any further cases.

It is this uncertainty that has the World Health Organization (WHO) and international community worried: partly because there is a – very small – risk of an outbreak, and partly because it is yet another warning that the international coordination we rely on to prevent pandemics is fraying along with the rest of international politics, and could easily fail to protect us in the future.

Could AI ‘change the stakes’ in the development of bioweapons? 14 October 2026 at 13:34

Could AI ‘change the stakes’ in the development of bioweapons?

The Guardian

By: Ian Sample Science editor

14 October 2026 at 13:34

Experts say the technology could help terrorists and nation states with production but that significant hurdles remain

In his annual speech on threats to the nation, Sir Ken McCallum, the head of the UK’s intelligence service, MI5, warned that AI had the potential to “change the stakes” on existing and even new bioweapons. Here we look at how AI might help in the development of bioweapons and the hurdles that remain.

As a scientist, here's what worries me about the suspected Russian plague victim | Devi Sridhar 12 October 2026 at 10:12

As a scientist, here's what worries me about the suspected Russian plague victim | Devi Sridhar

The Guardian

By: Devi Sridhar

12 October 2026 at 10:12

Russia’s silence over the death of a lab worker underlines that pandemic preparedness amounts to nothing if information on threats is withheld

In pandemic preparedness work, scientists like to focus on the technical challenges: identifying pathogens, diagnosing infections, understanding their effects and developing vaccines and treatments. Each step promises progress through human innovation, investment and planning. The World Health Organization (WHO), for example, brings experts together to identify and prioritise emerging disease threats and collect the evidence needed to prepare for them. But preparedness depends on more than scientific innovation.

As the past week has shown, politics is the elephant in the room in all of this. No one could have predicted we would be talking about pneumonic plague, and that the death of a single lab worker in Russia would cause global headlines. It might feel like an overreaction: the WHO deals with thousands of potential disease signals worldwide every month. But the circumstances of this case are unusual given the lack of transparency from Russian authorities on what happened – and ongoing concern about biological weapons research.

Digested week: Don’t worry about the plague, go and read some Anne Carson | Emma Brockes 9 October 2026 at 07:25

Digested week: Don’t worry about the plague, go and read some Anne Carson | Emma Brockes

The Guardian

By: Emma Brockes

9 October 2026 at 07:25

The world may be going to hell in a handcart, but at least now I get to say I know a Nobel prize winner

“Anyone worried about pneumonic plague?” This is a friend – a medic – texting me after reading reports at the weekend of the 28-year-old Russian woman who died while working at a “plague research lab” in Siberia. Relying on details from the famously open Russian state guaranteed the presence of a certain dark subtext to the tantalisingly short news item. Namely: lab-grown disease cultivated for reasons unknown and with a 100% mortality rate escapes Russian facility into general population, eight hours’ flying time from London. In other words, we’re all going to die.

Trump Administration Delays Threaten Funding for HIV Research 7 October 2026 at 12:33

Trump Administration Delays Threaten Funding for HIV Research

NYT: Science

By: Apoorva Mandavilli and Benjamin Mueller

7 October 2026 at 12:33

The networks also develop treatments and preventions for other infectious diseases and were instrumental in testing the Covid vaccine.

Drawing blood at an H.I.V. clinic in South Africa last year. The research networks’ large footprint has enabled them to develop tools to prevent and treat H.I.V., including in marginalized or rare populations.

Plague outbreak? Russian lab worker dies in Siberia - The Latest 6 October 2026 at 12:50

Plague outbreak? Russian lab worker dies in Siberia - The Latest

The Guardian

By: Presented by Lucy Hough with Madeleine Finlay · produced by Angus Neale · senior producer Ryan Ramgobin · executive producer Zoe Hitch

6 October 2026 at 12:50

Quarantine measures have been in place in several hospitals in eastern Russia since a 28-year-old laboratory worker, Darya Shipilova, died after falling ill at work following a reported accident at a plague research centre in Siberia. Russia’s health watchdog has said she died of ‘pneumonia of unknown aetiology’, but there is speculation about a possible plague infection. Lucy Hough speaks to Science Weekly co-host Madeleine Finlay

Kenya confirms first Ebola case as virus ‘surges’ in DR Congo province 6 October 2026 at 08:46

Kenya confirms first Ebola case as virus ‘surges’ in DR Congo province

The Guardian

By: Rachel Savage and agencies

6 October 2026 at 08:46

Health minister says 28 contacts identified after death of citizen who arrived from DRC on Saturday

Kenya has reported its first-ever Ebola death, the health minister announced on Tuesday, as the disease continues to spread rapidly through the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the outbreak was announced in May.

This is the 17th outbreak of the highly infectious, often deadly disease in the DRC. As of 2 October, 4,082 people had died out of 8,463 confirmed cases in the country since the emergence of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is still no vaccine nor specific treatment.

Inside the D.O.J.’s Investigation of Fauci and Other Virus Scientists 5 September 2026 at 05:00

Inside the D.O.J.’s Investigation of Fauci and Other Virus Scientists

NYT: Science

By: Benjamin Mueller and Glenn Thrush

5 September 2026 at 05:00

As Dr. Anthony Fauci has faced public scrutiny from congressional Republicans, the D.O.J. has pursued a quieter and more expansive effort against a wider circle of researchers.

President Trump and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci were shown models of the coronavirus during a tour of the National Institutes of Health in March 2020.

Pentagon Agreement With N.I.H. on Biodefense Draws Alarm From Democrats 4 September 2026 at 18:31

Pentagon Agreement With N.I.H. on Biodefense Draws Alarm From Democrats

NYT: Science

By: Catie Edmondson and Carolyn Y. Johnson

4 September 2026 at 18:31

Under a new partnership, the Defense Department would play a larger role in biodefense and pandemic preparedness. Democrats warned it could allow a Pentagon cash grab.

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