The US Embassy in Russia has urged American citizens not to travel to Russia and advised those currently in the country to leave, citing security concerns and reports of a possible pneumonic plague outbreak in the Irkutsk region.

In a health alert published on October 6, the embassy said it was monitoring reports about the possible spread of pneumonic plague and the reported introduction of quarantine measures following a death in the region, according to the US Embassy and Consulates in Russia.

Americans who recently visited the area where the suspected outbreak was reported were advised to monitor their health for 14 days. The embassy also warned of security risks and the possibility of unlawful detention.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he was prepared to help Russia respond to the reported spread of plague in Shelekhov District of the Irkutsk region. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed the offer, saying that “it is always good when mutual assistance is offered.”

However, Shelekhov District Deputy Head Elena Sofina said the region would “handle it itself.”

Following the statements from the US side, Russia’s Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) said the measles situation in the US had worsened.