Russia Dismisses Plague Concerns, Says Scientist Died of ‘Pneumonia of Unknown Origin’
Russia downplays plague fears after a scientist's death in Siberia. Officials confirm no lab accident, but details remain unclear.
POLICY WIRE — Irkutsk, Russia — Russian authorities have dismissed concerns over a possible plague outbreak following the death of a 28-year-old scientist in Siberia, who was reportedly exposed to the plague bacterium during a laboratory incident.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Rospotrebnadzor, the country’s health watchdog, is responsible for managing the situation and urged citizens to rely on official information from its experts. The scientist, identified as Darya Shipilova, worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, more than 2,500 miles east of Moscow.
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Russian media initially reported that Shipilova broke a test tube containing plague bacteria in late September, leading to severe pneumonia and her death on October 1. However, Rospotrebnadzor later stated that no lab accident occurred and attributed her death to “pneumonia of unknown origin.” The agency also confirmed that no dangerous pathogens were found among nearly 200 people who had contact with her.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
