Trump offered U.S. assistance to Russia on Monday after a laboratory worker died at a plague research institute in Siberia's Irkutsk region, though he said he had not spoken directly with Russian officials about the case.
"We'll help," Trump told reporters at the White House. "Everybody who has that kind of a problem, we'll always help." He described plague as a "rough disease" and noted that "somehow those microbes have gotten stronger and stronger, they're like an army."
Russian authorities said the situation was under control. The death prompted the quarantine of nearly 200 people at the facility, according to reports.
A State Department spokesperson told CNBC that the U.S. was monitoring the situation with the CDC and other interagency partners. "Many details have not been confirmed. We encourage Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly," the unnamed official said.
The World Health Organization said in an email that the cause of death had not been confirmed and testing was ongoing. The WHO said it was in contact with Russian authorities and had offered support if needed, while assessing the risk to the general public as low based on available information.
It remains unclear whether Russia has sought or would accept any U.S. assistance. Trump previously said he considers Russian President Vladimir Putin someone he can work with, despite ongoing tensions over Moscow's war in Ukraine.