Russia accused of covering up plague outbreak in Siberia after travel warning deleted

Russian officials are accused of covering up a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Siberia after travel warnings to the affected town of Shelekhov were deleted hours after publication, following the reported death of a scientist. The scientist, Shipilova, reportedly died over the weekend after a trip to Buryatia, though regional officials initially confirmed plague then amended to "possibly died of plague." Russia's health watchdog said no plague was detected among 187 contacts, citing only Covid-19 and rhinovirus, while the World Health Organization said Russia reported no plague cases. Irkutsk's governor said no plague microorganisms were found, and regional authorities branded quarantine reports as "fake." The Anti-Plague Institute, founded in 1934 to combat plague and other dangerous diseases, is central to the response, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that any outbreak could spread quickly despite limited travel.