Concerns over a possible plague infection have emerged in Russia’s Siberian region of Irkutsk after a worker at an anti-plague research institute died following severe pneumonia.
The worker, identified in reports as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, was employed at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. Reports have suggested that she may have been exposed to plague bacteria during a laboratory incident, although Russian health authorities have not confirmed that the death was caused by plague.
Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said the woman had been diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown origin and reported that testing did not detect microorganisms linked to her professional work. Authorities have also said that no laboratory accident involving dangerous pathogens was recorded at the institute.
Meanwhile, nearly 200 people who may have come into contact with the deceased worker have reportedly been placed under medical observation. Several hospitals in the Irkutsk area have introduced precautionary quarantine measures, while additional preventive steps have also been reported in the region.
Regional authorities have said that people under observation are not showing symptoms and that laboratory tests conducted so far have been negative. Officials have urged residents to remain calm while investigations continue.
The reports have attracted international attention because pneumonic plague can affect the lungs and can spread between people through respiratory droplets. However, there is currently no publicly confirmed evidence of wider transmission or an established plague outbreak in the region.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the worker’s illness and death while monitoring those considered possible contacts.
