Authorities in Russia's Irkutsk region have quarantined dozens of people after a laboratory worker at a plague research institute in Siberia died in undisclosed circumstances, in a case that has prompted the head of Russia's health watchdog to fly to the region and drawn the attention of the White House.
The worker, employed at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East, fell ill and died after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia. Russian authorities have said only that she died of pneumonia of as-yet unestablished origin, and the cause of the illness remains officially undisclosed. Russia's health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, told state media its checks had found no evidence of any accident involving the handling of pathogens, pushing back on rumours circulating on social media that the worker had dropped a test tube containing live bacteria.
Containment and calm
An unspecified number of people who had been in contact with the worker have been placed under quarantine, parts of the hospital in Shelekhov where she died have been cordoned off, and an aluminium plant told its employees to wear masks. The regional governor, Igor Kobzev, described the situation only as involving a "dangerous infectious disease" and cancelled public events in the region. Authorities said on Monday that the situation was under control, that no new cases had been reported, and that all contacts had been traced.
Separately, a US official told Axios that the Trump administration is aware of the suspected outbreak and is monitoring the situation. Because the official cause of death has not been established and the number of people quarantined varies across reports, the picture remains incomplete — and Russian officials have urged the public to remain calm while the investigation continues.
Sources:
Dozens quarantined in Siberia after plague institute lab worker dies — Reuters
Dozens quarantined in Siberia after plague institute lab worker dies — GMA News Online
The worker, employed at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East, fell ill and died after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia. Russian authorities have said only that she died of pneumonia of as-yet unestablished origin, and the cause of the illness remains officially undisclosed. Russia's health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, told state media its checks had found no evidence of any accident involving the handling of pathogens, pushing back on rumours circulating on social media that the worker had dropped a test tube containing live bacteria.
Containment and calm
An unspecified number of people who had been in contact with the worker have been placed under quarantine, parts of the hospital in Shelekhov where she died have been cordoned off, and an aluminium plant told its employees to wear masks. The regional governor, Igor Kobzev, described the situation only as involving a "dangerous infectious disease" and cancelled public events in the region. Authorities said on Monday that the situation was under control, that no new cases had been reported, and that all contacts had been traced.
Separately, a US official told Axios that the Trump administration is aware of the suspected outbreak and is monitoring the situation. Because the official cause of death has not been established and the number of people quarantined varies across reports, the picture remains incomplete — and Russian officials have urged the public to remain calm while the investigation continues.
Sources:
Dozens quarantined in Siberia after plague institute lab worker dies — Reuters
Dozens quarantined in Siberia after plague institute lab worker dies — GMA News Online
