Russian authorities have denied claims that a 28-year-old scientist died from the plague, saying she instead died from pneumonia of an "unknown cause". Daria Shipilova was reported to have died after falling critically ill in Shelekhov, Siberia. Numerous pro-Putin and independent media outlets, along with a regional governor, had claimed the lab worker died from the 'Black Death' plague - an assertion that has since been firmly rejected.
Nearly 200 contacts under quarantine
With nearly 200 people who had come into contact with the anti-plague laboratory worker remaining under strict quarantine or active observation, officials at health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor now maintain that Shipilova's diagnosis was "pneumonia of unknown aetiology", rather than the plague. Medical experts remain visibly baffled as to the source of her infection, reports the Mirror.
Reports that Shipilova fell ill after breaking a test tube at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, where she was employed, were abruptly contradicted despite having circulated across multiple media outlets without any official challenge for over three days. Nevertheless, three of the six hospitals in the nearby city of Irkutsk are said to be upholding stringent quarantine measures.
Quarantine measures remain in force
University lectures have been suspended and employees at a large aluminium smelter have been instructed to wear face masks. Three-week quarantine restrictions remain in force at Irkutsk City Clinical Hospitals Nos. 1, 3 and 10 and the Ivano-Matreninskaya Children's Hospital, as well as at least one maternity hospital, according to reports. Family members have been prevented from entering hospital wards, with reports suggesting medical personnel are privately "talking about plague" despite this diagnosis being absent from official documentation.
Political intelligence channel Nezygar had drawn parallels with China during the initial Covid outbreak. "The situation in Shelekhov, Irkutsk region... resembles the Wuhan case," the outlet cautioned. Amidst concerns Russia may be concealing a significant disease outbreak, Rospotrebnadzor's statement omitted any mention of Shipilova's death.
Authorities cite no hazardous pathogens
Authorities stated that comprehensive testing of samples from the young researcher revealed no microorganisms connected to her work at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute. They maintained an inquiry found no incidents involving hazardous pathogens and a shattered test tube at the high-security facility, contradicting previous leaks extensively covered in Russian and global media.
Previous accounts suggested Shipilova contracted infection following the breakage of a test tube containing the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, sparking concerns about pneumonic plague - the extremely dangerous pulmonary variant of the illness caused by the same bacterium responsible for the mediaeval Black Death. According to current figures, 189 individuals remain under quarantine across the Irkutsk region.
Russia's chief public-health official Anna Popova, a Putin ally and epidemiologist, is understood to have travelled to Irkutsk when the crisis emerged last week. She has remained silent on the crisis, while the local Kremlin-loyal governor Igor Kobzev faced criticism for disregarding the health emergency and instead posting on his social media about fish soup. Local people voiced anger at his inability to address the deadly illness that was resulting in widespread quarantine.
The Irkutsk branch of Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation also suspended lessons after staff were reportedly informed it was due to a "case of pneumonic plague in Shelekhov". The Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter in Shelekhov, which has more than 2,000 employees, instructed all workers to wear masks. Authorities maintain the broader epidemiological situation remains stable. However, they have not clarified why such severe restrictions are in place or explained the delay in declaring the condition was not pneumonic plague.
