Researcher's Death in Siberia Prompts Quarantine for Dozens
US agencies are monitoring reports of a potential plague exposure in Siberia following the death of a laboratory worker. Nearly 200 individuals are reportedly under observation.
U.S. government agencies are closely monitoring reports of a potential plague exposure in Siberia, Russia, after a laboratory worker died. The 28-year-old female technician at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia was diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown origin before her death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the State Department, and other agencies are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the event.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Russian officials indicated other workers may have been exposed. "We’re watching and monitoring it closely," Rubio said. "I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus and a cause to just keep an eye on it."
The exact cause of death remains unclear. However, Russian media outlets reported that the technician allegedly broke a test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen on Friday, September 25. She reportedly died at a hospital shortly thereafter. Approximately 200 people who may have come into contact with the researcher are now under medical observation.
In the town of Shelekhov, identified as the epicenter of the potential outbreak, comprehensive anti-epidemic measures have been enacted. The region is located in far eastern Siberia, near the Mongolian border. Plague is a potentially life-threatening bacterial disease that can be spread by fleas or direct contact, with pneumonic plague being the most serious form and the only form transmissible between humans.