US urges citizens to leave Russia immediately over plague fears

The US State Department has issued an urgent order urging all American citizens to leave Russian territory immediately without delay.

The move comes amid fears of a plague outbreak following the death of a researcher who developed a fever after a laboratory tube broke, according to Al Arabiya.

The US Embassy in Moscow has released an official health warning, stating it is closely monitoring reports of a "pneumonic plague" outbreak in Siberia and the subsequent closure of hospitals.

The US diplomatic mission has raised its risk level to Level Four, the highest, advising "Do Not Travel," and warned of Washington's limited ability to assist its citizens.

Russian authorities are facing increasing pressure to be transparent about quarantine measures imposed in Irkutsk after a researcher died inside a specialized institute for combating pneumonic plague.