Russian plague institute researcher's death triggers quarantine in Siberia

Russian authorities are urging calm after a researcher at a Siberian plague institute died, insisting her death was unrelated to her work with pathogens, though dozens of contacts have been quarantined. The 28-year-old woman, named locally as Darya Shipilova, died of pneumonia of unknown origin, prompting a health scare and an emergency visit by Russia's health watchdog head. Officials found no evidence of lab accidents, and tests on contacts showed only common cold and COVID-19 cases. Plague is endemic to Siberia's wilderness, though human cases are rare in Russia. The hospital where she died is under quarantine, and a local aluminum plant required masks as a precaution, while US officials said they are monitoring the situation.