Siberian plague death sparks hospital lockdowns and travel fears

A woman in Russia died of an unspecified form of plague after a suspected lab leak, prompting the lockdown of five Siberian hospitals and sparking fears of a wider outbreak. The incident has fueled claims that the late mystic Baba Vanga predicted a global plague. The woman, Darya Shipilova, allegedly broke a test tube at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, according to local media. Independent outlet Baikal People reported the hospital closures, and some US politicians are now calling for a halt to commercial air travel from Russia to prevent the disease from spreading. Baba Vanga, who died in 1996, is credited by followers with predicting events like the September 11 attacks. Her 2027 prophecy mentions a massive shift, with some theorists linking it to a frozen ancient pathogen released in Siberia, though the prediction does not specify a cause or outcome.