Former CDC Chief Questions Russian Plague Lab Death

Former CDC Director Robert Redfield has questioned whether the plague bacteria involved in the death of Russian lab worker Darya Shipilova may have been genetically manipulated to resist antibiotics, raising international concerns over the case. Shipilova, 28, died at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia, with Russia's health watchdog citing "pneumonia of unknown aetiology" while unconfirmed reports suggest she accidentally broke a test tube containing live pneumonic plague bacteria. Redfield noted standard protocols would include antibiotics after such an accident, but manipulation could explain treatment failure. Around 200 of Shipilova's contacts have been placed under observation, with local hospitals and a maternity unit quarantined. The U.S., European Union, and World Health Organization have all demanded transparency from Russia regarding the incident, which remains under investigation.