The United States is monitoring developments in Siberia after a 28-year-old laboratory worker died of suspected pneumonic plague, which led to sweeping quarantine measures in the Irkutsk region.
Russia Quarantines Siberian Hospitals After Lab Worker Death
She died two days later at a regional hospital in Shelekhov. While Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, attributed her death to “pneumonia of unknown aetiology” and stated that tests detected no micro-organisms connected to her work, local media and independent outlets reported that she had accidentally broken a test tube containing plague bacteria on September 25.
The local response involved extensive containment measures. Governor Igor Kobzev convened an emergency meeting on October 2, placing everyone who had been in contact with Shipilova under medical observation. Local media reported that as many as 200 people were placed under observation, while independent outlet People of Baikal noted that the inpatient section of the Shelekhov district hospital was quarantined alongside several hospitals in Irkutsk.
Anna Popova, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, traveled 2,600 miles from Moscow to the Irkutsk region for the emergency meeting. In Shelekhov, the district hospital’s outpatient clinic stayed open while the inpatient department closed. Other reports indicated quarantine at two Irkutsk hospitals and a maternity hospital, where visitors were barred and patients could not leave for up to six days.
US Officials Watch Developments Closely as Moscow Denies Outbreak
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Washington was watching the matter closely out of concern that a laboratory infection could spread quickly. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov urged the public not to listen to rumors about a plague outbreak and to rely strictly on Rospotrebnadzor’s statements.
Rubio, speaking Monday before a trip to Europe, said “We’re watching and monitoring it closely,” though he noted the incident was not “cause for alarm.” Independent reporting from RFE/RL’s Siberia.Realities indicated that staff at Shipilova’s institute were isolated inside the building, sleeping on chairs. Meanwhile, the director of the Irkutsk aluminum factory introduced a face mask mandate for employees. Alexey Tsydenov, head of the neighboring Republic of Buryatia, initially stated that the woman had died of plague before editing his remarks to say she had possibly died of the disease.
Artyom Fominykh, the director of the aluminum plant, described the masks as a preventive measure, stating, “Better safe than sorry.” Over the weekend, several public events in Irkutsk were cancelled. Authorities in the city of Baikalsk also briefly advised residents to avoid traveling to Shelekhov and nearby settlements based on unofficial reports.
Questions and Answers on the Siberian Plague Investigation
What caused the death of Darya Shipilova?
Rospotrebnadzor officially recorded her cause of death as pneumonia of unknown etiology and stated that lab tests found no connection to her work with plague bacteria. However, independent local media reported that she accidentally broke a test tube containing pneumonic plague while working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute.
When was the last confirmed plague case in Russia prior to this incident?
The last confirmed plague case in Russia occurred in 2016 in the Altai Republic, where a 10-year-old boy contracted the disease after contact with a hunted marmot.
How many people were placed under medical observation?
Local media reports and regional officials indicated that approximately 200 individuals who came into contact with Shipilova were placed under medical observation and isolation.
Plague Persists Among Wild Rodents in Siberia
Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and remains endemic among wild rodent populations in parts of Siberia and the Russian Far East. According to the U.S. State Department, the disease is treatable with common antibiotics, particularly when treatment begins early.
The last confirmed plague case in Russia occurred in 2016, when a 10-year-old boy in the Altai Republic fell ill after handling a marmot and subsequently recovered with treatment. State Department officials noted that many details surrounding the Irkutsk incident remain unconfirmed and encouraged Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly.
Prof Ian Jones, a virology professor at the University of Reading in the UK, described the event as a “rare lab accident” that is “unlikely to go much further.” Global figures show that between 2010 and 2015, there were 3,248 plague cases and 584 deaths worldwide.
More on Altai Republic
Keep reading