Key facts
- A researcher at Russia's Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute died from pneumonia of unknown cause.
- Roughly 200 people are under medical observation in Russia.
- Several hospitals are under quarantine and dozens are in isolation.
- Unconfirmed reports suggest the researcher may have been exposed to the plague pathogen Yersinia pestis.
- Rospotrebnadzor, a Russian public health agency, stated the epidemiological situation is stable.
- Kyrgyzstan has implemented quarantine controls at its border crossings.
Roughly 200 people are under medical observation in Russia, with several hospitals quarantined and dozens in isolation, following the unexplained death of an infectious disease researcher at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov. Darya Shipilova reportedly died last week from pneumonia of an unknown cause, according to Rospotrebnadzor, a Russian public health agency.
Unconfirmed reports have circulated, with some claiming Shipilova accidentally broke a test tube containing the plague pathogen, Yersinia pestis, on September 25. She subsequently fell ill, was admitted to a hospital on September 29 with severe pneumonia, and died overnight between October 1 and October 2.
The head of the Russian region neighboring Irkutsk, Alexey Tsydenov, initially stated that Shipilova had died of plague but later amended his statement to say she 'possibly' died of the disease. Yersinia pestis can cause bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague, with the pneumonic form being aggressive and potentially fatal, though generally treatable with antibiotics.
Former Rospotrebnadzor head Gennady Onishchenko stated on Friday that Shipilova’s infection was 'most likely not the plague' and assured there would be no spread of the disease. Rospotrebnadzor itself has downplayed the incident, asserting that the 'epidemiological situation' in the region is stable and that no micro-organisms associated with the employee’s professional duties were detected in patient samples.
However, the current head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, made an unusual trip to Irkutsk on Friday. Local governor Igor Kobzev described the visit as being due to a 'suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection affecting a resident of the region.'
The US State Department, in coordination with the CDC and other interagency partners, is monitoring the situation, noting that many details remain unconfirmed and encouraging Russian authorities to share information openly. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is also closely monitoring developments. Kyrgyzstan, located approximately 1,500 miles from Irkutsk, announced on Monday that it was introducing quarantine controls at its state border crossing points.