The Russian authorities are keeping about 200 people under medical surveillance after the death of a 28-year-old worker from the Irkutsk Anti-Pest Research Institute in Siberia. The woman, identified as Daria Shipilova, died on October 2 after suffering from pneumonia whose origin has not yet been determined. The case has prompted preventive measures in the region and has revived fears of a possible infection by pneumonic plague, after local media reported a supposed accident with a test tube that would have contained the pathogen. However, Rospotrebnadzor denies that an accident occurred at the institute and assures that the tests conducted have not detected microorganisms related to the professional activity of the deceased.
The situation has led the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, to travel to the Irkutsk region to participate in an extraordinary meeting about the epidemiological situation. The Russian authorities maintain that the situation remains under control and that the contacts of the deceased are being monitored.
Among the measures adopted is the isolation of more than 60 workers from the Irkutsk Anti-Pest Research Institute. According to available information, the staff remains inside the building while health checks are carried out.
Russia denies there is a plague leak
The main unknown remains the origin of the pneumonia that caused Shipilova's death. Versions circulated in local media suggest that on September 25 a test tube containing pneumonic plague bacteria may have broken, but that hypothesis has not been officially confirmed.
Rospotrebnadzor has communicated that the tests conducted on the deceased have not found microorganisms related to her work and that an inspection of the Anti-Pest Institute did not detect any accident during the handling of pathogenic microorganisms. The cause of death continues to be officially described as pneumonia of unknown etiology.
The authorities have also reported that among the people under surveillance, some cases of common respiratory infections have been detected, but a new plague infection has not been confirmed so far.
The United States is following the case and the WHO sees low risk
The evolution of the case is also being followed from the United States. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, confirmed that Washington is monitoring the reports about the possible plague case and the quarantine measures adopted in Russia.
The World Health Organization, for its part, has indicated that the risk to the general population appears low and is gathering information about what happened with the deceased worker. The organization reminds that the confirmation of a plague case requires laboratory tests that identify the bacteria Yersinia pestis.