A 28-year-old laboratory technician named Darya Shipilova died on October 2 after falling ill with severe pneumonia. She worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. She was admitted to hospital in nearby Shelekhov on September 29 and died two days later.
Russian health officials say she had “pneumonia of unknown etiology.” Tests found no bacteria linked to the dangerous pathogens she handled at work. Authorities also say no lab accident involving plague bacteria occurred.
Unconfirmed local reports suggested she may have broken a test tube containing the plague bacterium “Yersinia pestis,” or that she had recently travelled to the neighboring Buryatia region. The governor of Buryatia first said she “died, maybe of the plague,” then softened his words.
Quarantine and official response
Nearly 200 people who had contact with Shipilova were placed under medical observation. The hospital where she was treated was closed for quarantine. Staff at the anti-plague institute were also isolated. Officials report that none of the contacts have shown signs of illness and all tests so far are negative.
Russia’s health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor and the regional governor say the situation in Irkutsk and Shelekhov is “stable.” No new cases among institute staff have been reported.
International attention
The United States is closely monitoring the reports of a possible pneumonic plague case. The World Health Organization has also said it is aware of the situation and has offered support to Russia. Pneumonic plague affects the lungs and can spread between people through droplets but no confirmed secondary cases have appeared.
Plague still exists in some parts of the world including natural foci in Russia but large outbreaks are rare and treatable with antibiotics if caught early. So far, this remains an unexplained death under investigation rather than a confirmed outbreak.
