The United States is closely monitoring the death of a lab worker in Siberia, which has been shrouded in secrecy and fueled concerns of a potential pneumonic plague case. President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that he would discuss the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin and provide an update.
Russia's public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, initially reported that the lab worker was diagnosed with "pneumonia of unknown etiology." The agency has since stated that extensive testing found no evidence her illness was caused by pathogens she worked with at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. State-controlled Russian media has largely avoided the story, with some outlets withdrawing earlier reports.
Officials have quarantined a hospital and are monitoring individuals who had contact with the deceased worker. Unconfirmed media reports suggest the cause of death could have been pneumonic plague, a severe form of the disease that can spread between people. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been informed by Moscow that no plague cases have been registered in the Irkutsk region. However, the WHO has requested further information to clarify the cause of the severe pneumonia and any potential pathogens involved, noting media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause.
According to the WHO, Russia has stated that preventive measures, including contact tracing and medical monitoring, have been completed, and tests showed no dangerous infectious disease pathogens among contacts. The agency also reported that tests found two cases of COVID-19 and two cases of rhinovirus among contacts, with no other infectious pathogens identified.
The news outlet Lyudi Baikala identified the deceased worker as Darya Shipilova, 28, who was hospitalized with cold symptoms on September 29 and died three days later. Colleagues described her as a highly qualified researcher, emphasizing the strict security protocols at the institute, which has studied plague since the 1920s. Neighbors reported that disinfection experts cleaned her apartment multiple times.
The hospital where Shipilova died was temporarily quarantined, with Mayor Maxim Modin confirming its outpatient clinic remained operational. Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev stated she died of a "particularly dangerous infection" and that all her contacts are under medical supervision.
Pneumonic plague, the most virulent form of the disease, has an incubation period as short as 24 hours, according to the WHO. It is a lung-based illness that can be fatal if untreated, though recovery rates are high with timely medical intervention.