Plague Scare in Russia: What's Known About the Outbreak Risk

A 28-year-old researcher, Daria Chipilova, died of pneumonia of "undetermined" origin on October 2 in Siberia, prompting quarantine measures while Russian authorities deny any epidemic risk and the WHO says it cannot fully assess the threat. Chipilova worked at the Siberian and Far Eastern Plague Control Institute and was studying the plague bacillus's resistance to antibiotics in a laboratory in Buryatia, near Irkutsk. Her death led Russian health authorities to quarantine hospital staff, patients, and institute personnel who had contact with her. Local media reported she may have contracted pneumonic plague after a lab accident, though this remains unconfirmed. The incident has revived fears of plague, historically linked to three major pandemics, amid a lack of transparency and information.