Russian Hospitals Quarantined Amid Fatal Pneumonic Plague Outbreak

Three Russian hospitals and hundreds of individuals have been placed under quarantine following a fatal outbreak of pneumonic plague, with reports of a potential government cover-up. The outbreak is linked to the death of Darya Shipilova, 28, a laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia.

Shipilova was admitted to hospital on September 29 and died two days later, according to the Daily Mail. She reportedly informed medical staff that she had accidentally broken a test tube containing live bacteria. However, senior Russian epidemiologist Mikhal Favorov dismissed this explanation, suggesting the likelihood of infection from a broken test tube is very low for someone wearing protective gear. Favorov stated that the public would not be told what truly happened, drawing parallels to the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Pneumonic plague, if left untreated, has a near 100% fatality rate. However, with prompt antibiotic treatment within 24 hours of identification, the death rate drops significantly. Concerns have been raised about a potential shortage of necessary drugs in the region, as residents reportedly overwhelmed pharmacies.

Following Shipilova's death, approximately 200 people she had come into contact with were quarantined. The Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute and two other hospitals in the region have also been placed under secure measures. Alexei Tsydenov, governor of Russia's Buryatia region, confirmed that a woman in the neighboring Irkutsk region had died of plague. Anna Popova, Russia's chief state sanitary doctor, traveled to Siberia to oversee the response, and a mask decree has been implemented in Irkutsk.

Irkutsk governor Igor Kobzev stated that all identified contacts had been placed under medical observation and that, as of his statement, none showed signs of illness with negative laboratory test results. He had previously declined to name the suspected disease while urging residents not to spread unverified information.

Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, spread through airborne droplets from an infected person. It is one of three forms of plague, the others being septicemic plague, which infects the blood, and bubonic plague, historically known as the Black Death. Symptoms of pneumonic plague typically appear three to seven days after exposure and include fever, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood.