A Russian laboratory worker, Darya Shipilova, has died from a suspected case of plague in Siberia, prompting hospital quarantines and medical observation of nearly 200 people, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Washington is closely monitoring the situation.
Key facts
- Darya Shipilova, an employee at an anti-plague institute in Irkutsk, died on the night of 2 October at a regional hospital in Shelekhov, two days after falling ill.
- Several hospitals in eastern Russia have been placed under quarantine amid uncertainty over her death.
- As many as 189 people have been placed under medical observation in Irkutsk, according to local media reports; Sky News reports nearly 200 under observation.
- A Russian agency has linked the death to 'pneumonia of unknown' origin.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is 'closely monitoring' the case.
A laboratory worker at an anti-plague institute in the eastern Russian city of Irkutsk has died in a suspected case of plague, triggering quarantine measures across several hospitals in Siberia. The death has prompted authorities to place nearly 200 people under medical observation, according to reports.
The worker was identified as Darya Shipilova, an employee at an institute in Irkutsk. According to the Guardian, she died on the night of 2 October at a regional hospital in the nearby town of Shelekhov, two days after falling ill.
The Guardian reported that the death followed a reported accident at a plague research institute in Siberia. A Russian agency has linked the death to ‘pneumonia of unknown’ origin, according to Al Jazeera, leaving uncertainty over the exact cause.
Sky News reported that the worker may have been exposed to pneumonic plague, and that nearly 200 people have been placed under medical observation as a result. CNBC, citing local media reports, said as many as 189 people have been placed under medical observation in Irkutsk.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, before leaving for a trip to Europe, that the US was watching the situation closely. ‘We’re watching and monitoring it closely,’ Rubio said. He added: ‘I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause just to keep an eye on it.’
Quarantine precautions remain in place at several hospitals in eastern Russia amid continuing uncertainty over the circumstances of the death.
Why it matters
Plague, while rare and treatable with modern antibiotics, remains a serious disease, and the suspected exposure of a lab worker has triggered a significant public health response in Russia. The involvement of the US secretary of state underscores international attention on potential cross-border health risks, even as officials stress there is currently no cause for alarm.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the lab worker who died?
According to the Guardian, the worker was Darya Shipilova, an employee at an anti-plague institute in the eastern Russian city of Irkutsk. She died on the night of 2 October at a regional hospital in the nearby town of Shelekhov, two days after falling ill.
How many people have been placed under observation?
CNBC reported, citing local media, that as many as 189 people have been placed under medical observation in Irkutsk. Sky News reported nearly 200 people under observation.
What has the US said about the case?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is 'closely monitoring' the case. He said he did not think it was cause for alarm, but was a cause for focus and to keep an eye on it.