Siberian Lab Technician Dies of Pneumonic Plague After Test Tube Accident
At least 200 people have been quarantined following the death of a 28-year-old technician at an institute in Irkutsk.
A lab technician in Siberia has died from pneumonic plague after an accident involving a broken test tube, prompting authorities to place approximately 200 people under quarantine. The deceased, identified as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova, worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute.
Shipilova was hospitalized on September 29 and died two days later after being placed on a ventilator, according to local reports. The exact circumstances of the incident, including the alleged breaking of a test tube containing the plague pathogen, are still under investigation.
Anna Popova, Russia's Chief State Sanitary Doctor, has traveled to Siberia to oversee the outbreak. A mask mandate has been implemented in Irkutsk, and regional officials have confirmed a suspected case of a dangerous infectious disease.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev stated that all identified contacts of Shipilova have been placed under medical observation and that none have shown signs of illness. Laboratory test results for those contacts have returned negative. Maxim Modin, the mayor of nearby Shelekhov, urged residents to rely on official sources and refrain from spreading rumors.
Pneumonic plague is a highly contagious and potentially fatal bacterial infection that can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. The World Health Organization notes that it is treatable with antibiotics if diagnosed and treated early. Health officials in hazmat suits have been observed in the Irkutsk region as investigations continue.
