Russia’s government moved to calm public concerns on Monday following media reports that a female researcher in Siberia may have died from plague exposure following a laboratory accident. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the state health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, serves as the primary authority with expertise in the matter, urging citizens to rely exclusively on official statements from its specialists. The deceased researcher was identified by local reports as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, who was employed at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute located more than 2,500 miles east of Moscow. Initial Russian media accounts indicated that she accidentally broke a test tube containing plague bacteria in late September, subsequently contracted severe pneumonia, and passed away on October 1. The bacterium in question is Yersinia pestis, the exact pathogen responsible for the historical Black Death pandemic that devastated Europe during the mid-1300s, claiming tens of millions of lives. Untreated, the pathogen can trigger severe swelling, fever, and death. Reports suggested Shipilova succumbed to pneumonic plague, an aggressive form that infects the lungs, produces a bloody cough, and can transmit directly between people. Early statements from officials, including the head of Russia’s eastern Republic of Buryatia, Alexei Tsydenov, initially pointed to a plague death before statements were later altered or retracted. Local officials also deleted a warning advising the public to avoid the town of Shelekhov, where the scientist had been hospitalized. Rospotrebnadzor later reported conducting extensive anti-epidemic measures, which involved testing nearly 200 individuals who had direct contact with Shipilova. The agency confirmed that while some individuals tested positive for common colds or COVID-19, no dangerous infectious pathogens were detected among them. Furthermore, Rospotrebnadzor denied that any accident occurred at the Irkutsk facility, officially attributing the scientist’s passing to pneumonia of an unknown origin. Addressing reporters on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the situation in Russia did not warrant immediate alarm, though it did require close monitoring. Rubio noted that given the limited travel between the United States and Russia, the situation primarily calls for attention and continued observation, which American officials are actively maintaining.
Source: cbsnews.com
