Russia downplays reported plague death at Siberian lab; US offers help

Russia has downplayed reports that a laboratory technician died of plague in Siberia, while the US said it is monitoring the situation and offered assistance. The reports sparked alarm over a potential outbreak. The 28-year-old woman, Darya Shipilova, reportedly worked at an anti-plague institute in Irkutsk and may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube, with up to 200 contacts quarantined. Russian officials said post-mortem tests found no plague, attributing death to pneumonia of undetermined cause. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there is no cause for alarm but the situation warrants focus, given memories of the Covid-19 pandemic. Experts called Russia's reported response proportionate, including quarantine measures to prevent onward transmission.