Russia quarantines hundreds after researcher dies at Siberian plague lab

Russian authorities have placed hundreds of people under observation and introduced quarantine measures following the death of a 28-year-old researcher from severe pneumonia at a plague laboratory in Siberia, amid growing concerns about a possible laboratory-acquired infection. Following the incident, at least five hospitals have been shut.

There has been no official confirmation from Russian authorities that the plague was involved. However, reports that the woman may have come into contact with dangerous bacteria at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute have led hospitals to strengthen precautions and authorities to intensify their response.

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The incident has also raised questions about what took place inside the laboratory and whether Russian authorities have disclosed the full picture. The researcher, named in reports as Darya Shipilova, was admitted to hospital on September 29 after developing severe pneumonia. She was put on a ventilator but died two days later on October 1.

How it happened

Shipilova had been working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute and told doctors that she had accidentally smashed a test tube containing live bacteria, according to the Daily Mail. She fell ill while on a field expedition in neighbouring Buryatia, near Russia's border with Mongolia, and was later moved to Shelekhov Hospital.

Authorities began tracing people who had potentially come into contact with the researcher soon after.

Nearly 200 people were reportedly quarantined at the Shelekhov hospital where Shipilova had been treated, according to unofficial reports cited by CNN, including those published by independent regional outlet Liudi Baikala. The Daily Mail reported that three hospitals in the region were also placed under quarantine measures.

No fear of outbreak?

Officials have maintained that there is no evidence at present to suggest a wider outbreak.

Irkutsk region Governor Igor Kobzev had initially said that a suspected case of a "particularly dangerous infection" has emerged, and urged the public to remain calm. However, he said that it was a case of pneumonia of unknown etiology.

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"Microorganisms associated with her professional activities were not detected in the patient's samples," he wrote on Telegram.

He also said that no infectious disease-related cases have been reported among the employees of the institute, which was founded in 1934 as a scientific operative body for controlling plague.

“Everyone identified as a contact was being kept under medical observation and that none had developed symptoms. Their laboratory test results were negative,” he added.

Kobzev, on Sunday, said that he met the chief of the consumer safety watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, to coordinate emergency containment measures. "Rospotrebnadzor is implementing a full range of anti-epidemic measures," he said.

Precautionary measures

As a precaution, an aluminium plant near the laboratory asked its employees to wear masks, while its director appealed to residents not to be alarmed by what he called rumours and contradictory reports.

The US has reportedly been following media reports surrounding Shipilova's death. A US official, cited by American news outlet Axios, said on Sunday (local time) that the White House was monitoring reports of a suspected plague case and the quarantine measures imposed in Russia.

Following the incident, all the planned public events in Irkutsk have been cancelled and a criminal investigation into the potential health and safety violations have been opened.