US monitors suspected plague case in Siberia after Russian lab worker dies

The United States is monitoring a suspected case of pneumonic plague in Russia following the death of a lab worker in Siberia, which has triggered quarantine measures across the region. Washington is watching the situation closely while Russian authorities insist there has been no confirmed outbreak. Daria Shipilova, a 28-year-old researcher at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, died on October 1st from what officials described as "pneumonia of unknown origin," with local media reporting plague as a possible cause. Up to 200 contacts have been placed under medical observation, and several hospitals have been quarantined, though only one has been officially confirmed. If confirmed, this would be Russia's first plague case in a decade, though the last confirmed case was in 2016. US officials note the disease is treatable with common antibiotics, while Russian authorities urge the public to rely on official statements rather than rumors.