Moscow: Russian authorities are investigating the death of a laboratory technician at an Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia after she was diagnosed with pneumonia of “unknown aetiology”, raising concerns over a possible case of pneumonic plague, according to CNN.
The incident occurred at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov near Irkutsk, according to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency. The specific pathogen involved has not been identified, while Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s federal consumer and infectious disease watchdog, said the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk, Irkutsk region and Shelekhov remained stable.
The agency said special measures had been introduced following the death of the employee. Alexei Tsydenov, head of neighbouring Buryatia, said the 28-year-old woman may have died from plague, while stressing that there was no plague outbreak in his republic.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev also convened an emergency meeting of the regional anti-epidemic council and Russia’s chief state medical officer. He described the situation as a suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection and urged residents to remain calm.
Additional precautionary measures have been introduced in and around Shelekhov. The nearby Irkutsk Aluminium Plant advised workers to wear face coverings, while company chief Artem Fominikh said identified close contacts were under medical observation and had so far shown no symptoms, with laboratory tests returning negative results.
Unverified reports cited by CNN from local publication Liudi Baikala said nearly 200 people were being monitored at the Shelekhov medical facility where the laboratory worker was treated. The reports also claimed that isolation measures had been introduced at a maternity facility in the area. These claims have not been independently confirmed.
Former Rospotrebnadzor chief Gennady Onishchenko said the illness was “most likely not the plague”, adding that even if plague were confirmed, he did not expect the disease to spread.
The reports have nevertheless drawn international attention. The US State Department said Washington was monitoring the unverified reports of the suspected fatal pneumonic plague case in Irkutsk Oblast and was coordinating with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal agencies.
A State Department official, speaking anonymously to Fox News, urged Russian authorities to provide accurate and complete information about the incident, noting that several details remained unverified.
Former CIA officer Dan Hoffman said US intelligence agencies were likely gathering information from multiple sources and that the US Embassy in Moscow could be engaging with Russian officials over the situation.
The State Department also said pneumonic plague can be treated with antibiotics, particularly when treatment begins promptly after suspected exposure. The CDC recommends immediate medical treatment for people suspected of having been exposed, with the choice of antibiotics depending on the severity and circumstances of the illness.
Pneumonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and affects the respiratory system. Unlike other forms of plague, it can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. Symptoms can include fever, headache, weakness, rapidly developing pneumonia, breathing difficulties, chest pain and coughing.
For now, Russian authorities maintain that the regional health situation is stable, while investigations continue to determine the cause of the laboratory worker’s death and whether the case involved plague.
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