Russian Lab Worker Death Sparks Plague Rumors, Officials Deny Infection

Russia denies that a female lab worker died from plague after her death at a Siberian research institute, dismissing rumors of a lab accident. The 28-year-old employee died on October 2 from pneumonia of unknown cause, with no pathogens linked to her work detected. The woman was hospitalized in Shelekhovo with severe pneumonia symptoms in late September. Authorities quarantined the institute, isolated contacts, and closed hospitals as precautions, though no contacts showed infection signs and the epidemiological situation is deemed stable. Conflicting official statements, including initial mentions of a "particularly dangerous infection," fueled speculation. Plague is endemic in parts of Siberia, and pneumonic plague is highly lethal, prompting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to urge trust in specialists.