Russia plague fears rise after siberian lab death as health checks end

Russia has completed health checks on people who came into contact with a 28-year-old laboratory worker who died after developing pneumonia at a plague research institute in Siberia. The move comes as concerns over a possible case of pneumonic plague continue, although Russian authorities have not confirmed that the woman died from plague.

Darya Shipilova worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. Russian media reported that she became ill while at work on September 30 and died two days later at a hospital in the nearby town of Shelekhov.

Reports have suggested that she may have been exposed to pneumonic plague through an accident involving a broken test tube, but no such laboratory accident has been officially confirmed. Russian authorities have said she died from pneumonia of unknown origin and that tests did not find evidence that her illness was caused by pathogens associated with her work.

What happened at the Siberian plague institute?

Shipilova's death triggered public health measures in Irkutsk. About 200 people who had contact with her were placed under quarantine and medical monitoring, while parts of the hospital where she died were cordoned off.

Russia's public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, sent its head Anna Popova to Irkutsk to meet regional officials. Russian authorities also said that two contacts had COVID-19 and two had rhinovirus infections, but no other infectious diseases were detected among the contacts.

Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said Shipilova died from “pneumonia of unknown aetiology” and said no new cases had been identified among staff at the Anti-Plague Institute.

Russia has now said that monitoring of all the deceased woman's contacts has been completed. Authorities also reported that nearly 5,000 samples tested during the investigation showed no dangerous pathogens.

Kobzev described the investigation as a test for the region and said the specialists had completed their work. Russian authorities have also said Shipilova was vaccinated against the pathogens connected with her work and that no microorganisms linked to those pathogens were found in her body.

Why is there concern about pneumonic plague?

The concern is linked to both the woman's workplace and the nature of the illness she developed.

Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Bubonic plague is the most common form and is historically associated with the Black Death. Pneumonic plague is less common but affects the lungs and can spread from person to person.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency did not yet have the full picture of the event and could not conduct a complete risk assessment based on the information available.

WHO epidemic and pandemic management director Maria Van Kerkhove also said the organization wanted to know what tests had been conducted and which pathogens had been evaluated.

Is there a plague outbreak in Russia?

There is no confirmed plague outbreak linked to Shipilova's death in the information released by Russian authorities.

Russia has said that health monitoring of the contacts has been completed and that nearly 5,000 samples showed no dangerous pathogens. Authorities have also said they found no evidence that the woman's illness was caused by pathogens she worked with.

The cause of her pneumonia has not been definitively established publicly.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has urged people to follow statements from Rospotrebnadzor rather than rumors or speculation.

The WHO, meanwhile, continues to seek additional information from Russia about the case.

What is pneumonic plague?

Pneumonic plague is one of the forms of plague caused by Yersinia pestis. It affects the lungs and is considered a severe form of the disease.

Symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing and sometimes bloody mucus. Fever, chills, headaches, body aches, weakness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can also occur with plague.

Unlike bubonic plague, which commonly involves swollen lymph nodes known as buboes, pneumonic plague affects the respiratory system.

If pneumonic or septicemic plague is left untreated, it can be fatal. However, plague can be treated with antibiotics when it is identified quickly.

How does plague spread?

Plague is most commonly associated with infected rodents and their fleas.

People can become infected through flea bites or through direct contact with tissues or body fluids from infected animals. Pneumonic plague can also spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person or animal when there is direct and close contact.

According to the CDC information cited in the reporting, person-to-person transmission of pneumonic plague requires close contact with someone who has the disease.

Sick cats can also pose a risk because cats can become infected after eating infected rodents and can transmit infectious respiratory droplets to people who have close contact with them.

Where does plague exist?

Plague has not been eliminated. It remains endemic in parts of the world, including Siberia.

There are an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 plague cases worldwide each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic information cited in the reporting.

Although plague is associated with the Black Death, modern cases are treatable with antibiotics when detected early.

What is known now?

The latest information from Russia is that health checks and medical monitoring of the woman's contacts have been completed.

Nearly 5,000 samples reportedly showed no dangerous pathogens, while Russian authorities continue to say that Shipilova's death was caused by pneumonia of unknown origin rather than a confirmed case of plague.

At the same time, the WHO has said it needs more information before it can make a full assessment of the event.