Siberian Lab Worker Dies After Contracting Suspected Pneumonic Plague

A 28-year-old laboratory technician in Russia's remote Irkutsk region has died following a suspected pneumonic plague infection. Local media identified the worker as Daria Shipilova, who was employed at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. Reports indicate she may have contracted the illness after a test tube holding the bacteria broke on September 25. Following her death between October 1 and 2, Russian authorities placed nearly 200 people under medical observation and quarantined medical facilities in the region. Governor Alexei Tsydenov of the neighbouring Buryatia region confirmed a woman had died of the plague. Meanwhile, Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev stated that none of the individuals under watch have shown symptoms, and all their tests so far have returned negative results.

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The plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and can manifest in bubonic, pneumonic, or septicemic forms. Pneumonic plague is highly infectious and can quickly become fatal if antibiotics are not administered early. Public health experts and international observers continue to monitor the situation closely while awaiting official confirmation from federal health authorities.