- A 28-year-old Siberian lab worker died from unknown pneumonia.
- Nearly 200 people are under observation near the affected institute.
- Infection’s nature remains unconfirmed despite initial plague speculation.
- Russian authorities maintain stability; US monitors the situation.
A suspected dangerous infection at a laboratory in Siberia has triggered precautionary measures in Russia after a 28-year-old laboratory worker died with pneumonia of “unknown” origin, with nearly 200 people reportedly placed under observation in the affected area.
The incident took place at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov, near Irkutsk, according to Russian state media TASS. Authorities have not confirmed what infection was involved.
Russia’s federal agency responsible for infectious disease control, Rospotrebnadzor, said the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk, Irkutsk city and Shelekhov remained stable.
Lab Worker Dies After Suspected Infection
According to a report by CNN, Rospotrebnadzor said special measures were introduced following a case involving an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute who was diagnosed with “pneumonia of unknown etiology”.
Alexei Tsydenov, head of the neighbouring republic of Buryatia, earlier said the employee was a 28-year-old woman who had possibly died from plague. However, he stressed that “there are no plague outbreaks” in Buryatia.
The circumstances have prompted heightened monitoring in the region, although the exact nature of the infection remains unclear.
Igor Kobzev, governor of Irkutsk, appealed for calm on Friday after an extraordinary meeting of the regional anti-epidemic commission was held with Russia’s chief state doctor, CNN reported.
Kobzev said the meeting followed a “suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection affecting a resident of the region”.
Nearly 200 Reportedly Under Observation
Unofficial reports from independent regional news outlet Liudi Baikala said nearly 200 people were placed under observation at the hospital in Shelekhov where the laboratory worker had been taken.
The outlet also reported that quarantine had been introduced at at least one maternity hospital in the city.
An aluminium plant located near the laboratory separately asked its employees to wear masks as a precaution.
Artem Fominikh, director of the Irkutsk Aluminum Plant, urged people not to panic amid what he described as a flow of unverified information.
“There are many rumors and conflicting reports circulating,” Fominikh said.
He added that all identified close contacts were being medically monitored and had so far shown no symptoms.
“All identified close contacts are under medical supervision. At present, they show no signs of the disease, and their laboratory test results are negative,” Fominikh said.
Former Health Official Says Plague Unlikely
Gennady Onishchenko, a former head of Rospotrebnadzor, said the infection in the Irkutsk region was “most likely not the plague,” CNN reported.
He added that even if plague were confirmed, he did not expect the disease to spread, while telling TASS that the arrival of colder weather would likely make transmission more difficult.
Pneumonic plague is one of three forms of plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Unlike the other two forms, which typically spread through infected fleas, animals or infected tissue, pneumonic plague can pass between people through respiratory particles.
People suffering from pneumonic plague can develop fever, headache and weakness, followed by rapidly developing pneumonia that may cause shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing, sometimes accompanied by bloody or watery mucus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
US Monitoring Situation
The US State Department told CNN on Sunday that it was aware of reports concerning the possible death of a person from pneumonic plague in Russia.
“We are monitoring the situation closely with the CDC and our other interagency partners,” a State Department spokesperson said, while noting that many details remained unconfirmed.
The spokesperson also urged Russian authorities to release accurate information quickly and openly.
The US Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC was closely following developments in Russia and that the safety and security of US citizens remained its highest priority.
The World Health Organization has said plague can have a high fatality rate but can also be treated with antibiotics. It has also stressed the importance of precautions to prevent transmission.
Russian authorities have so far maintained that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the affected Irkutsk-area locations is stable, while investigations and medical monitoring continue.
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