Russian scientist's mother says daughter was 'abandoned' after suspected plague death

A 28-year-old Russian laboratory scientist, Daria Shipilova, died in a Siberian hospital following a suspected plague infection, with her mother accusing health authorities of abandoning her daughter and mishandling the response. The incident has triggered international concern and border alerts. Official Kremlin reports attribute the death to "pneumonia of unknown aetiology" and deny any biological material escaped, but local outlets allege she broke a container holding Yersinia pestis, the Black Death bacterium, or fell ill during a field mission monitoring plague-carrying squirrels. Nearly 200 colleagues and contacts were quarantined, and her family is barred from burying her. Her mother, a physician, rejects claims of lab mishandling, saying equipment is heavily protected, and criticizes four days of official silence. Moscow sent health chief Anna Popova to Siberia, the WHO demanded answers, and the US offered intervention, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming intelligence monitoring.