Siberian hospital quarantined after mysterious infection kills lab worker

Russian authorities imposed anti-epidemic measures after a 28-year-old laboratory technician died from pneumonia of unknown origin at a Siberian plague research institute in Irkutsk, prompting a hospital quarantine and monitoring of nearly 200 people. The woman worked at the Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia in Shelekhov, and officials said no microorganism linked to her professional duties was found in samples. Local authorities closed several hospital departments and are testing all recent contacts, while a nearby aluminum plant advised mask use as a precaution. Officials have given conflicting statements, with some suggesting plague as a possible cause while others dismissed it. The U.S. State Department and CDC are monitoring the situation, and the WHO noted plague is treatable with antibiotics despite its high mortality rate.