Russia quarantines 200 after unexplained death of plague researcher
Approximately 200 people are under medical observation and several hospitals are quarantined in Russia following the unexplained death of a plague researcher. The cause of death remains unclear.
Around 200 people are under medical observation and several hospitals have been quarantined in Russia after the unexplained death of an infectious disease researcher. The researcher was employed at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia, located in the town of Shelekhov.
Reports indicate that researcher Darya Shipilova died last week from pneumonia of an "unknown" cause, according to Rospotrebnadzor, a Russian public health agency. The exact cause of her death is still undetermined.
Unconfirmed information has circulated regarding the circumstances of her death. Some reports suggest she may have accidentally broken a test tube containing the plague pathogen, Yersinia pestis, on September 25. She reportedly fell ill thereafter and died in the hospital between October 1 and October 2.
Alexey Tsydenov, the head of the region neighboring Irkutsk, initially stated the researcher had died of plague but later amended his statement, saying she "possibly" died from the disease. Health authorities are continuing to investigate the incident.