Russian Officials Deny Plague Link in Siberian Lab Worker's Death

Russian officials say laboratory technician Darya Shipilova, 28, died of pneumonia of undetermined cause, not plague, despite quarantine measures that sparked global alarm. The Kremlin insists the plague situation is stable. Shipilova worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia and died October 2. Officials say extensive laboratory tests found no link to pathogens from her work, though around 200 close contacts were quarantined and the institute was locked down. Independent reports claimed she broke a vial containing Yersinia pestis, fueling fears of pneumonic plague. The World Health Organisation reportedly sought transparency, while the US and Mongolia monitored the situation.