Plague Technician Dies in Siberian Lab, Nearly 200 Quarantined
A 28-year-old lab worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute died of pneumonic plague, prompting health officials to place about 200 contacts under medical observation.
Laboratory technician Darya Shipilova, 28, at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia broke a test tube holding live plague bacteria while sampling, and died two days after being placed on a ventilator. Health officials have placed nearly 200 individuals who might have encountered her under medical watch, hospitalising 189 at three different locations. Governor Igor Kobzev said Rospotrebnadzor has launched a full suite of anti-epidemic actions, including the suspension of public events.
A criminal case has been opened to examine potential safety violations that led to the fatal infection. While contacts have so far tested negative and show no symptoms, the incident revives concerns about pneumonic plague, the most contagious form of the disease, which WHO tracks worldwide.
How this was covered
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Why it matters
The death highlights risks of laboratory accidents with deadly pathogens and triggers large-scale public-health responses.
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