Plague Fears in Siberia After Lab Worker Dies

A plague outbreak is feared in Siberia after a 28-year-old laboratory assistant died, with local media reporting she may have broken a test tube containing the plague pathogen, while Russian authorities insist the region's sanitary situation is stable. The incident has triggered quarantine measures and public panic. The woman, Darya Shipilova, specialized in dangerous pathogens and allegedly broke a test tube with Yersinia pestis on September 25 while working with live biological material. Her condition worsened two days later, and she was initially treated for suspected severe COVID-19 before tests revealed a highly dangerous infection; she died despite being placed on a ventilator. Approximately 200 people were placed under strict medical observation, and hospital units in the Irkutsk region were closed for three weeks. Authorities initially limited information, with officials avoiding the word "plague" for 24 hours and later deleting statements about the outbreak. Conflicting official announcements, including a retracted warning against travel to Shelekhov, fueled social media panic. On Sunday, Rospotrebnadzor stated the woman died from "pneumonia of unclear etiology" and reported no incidents involving pathogenic microorganisms at the institute.