Researcher Dies at Siberian Plague Institute; Dozens Quarantined

A researcher at a plague research institute in Siberia has died under undisclosed circumstances, prompting authorities to quarantine dozens of people and sending Russia's top health official to the Irkutsk region. Officials said Monday the situation is under control despite public health fears on social media. The World Health Organization said the public health risk appears low based on available information, with further assessments pending. Local media identified the deceased as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, who died of pneumonia of unknown origin. Around 200 contacts have been quarantined, and authorities found no evidence of an accident involving pathogen handling. Plague is endemic in Siberia, though human cases are rare in Russia. The disease can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed quickly. US President Donald Trump offered to help Russia, calling the death a "big problem."