On Monday, the Russian government sought to ease worries after reports surfaced about the death of a female scientist from plague exposure due to a laboratory accident in Siberia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the state health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, is the authoritative agency with expertise in handling such situations. Peskov urged the Russian public to rely on official information from Rospotrebnadzor’s qualified professionals.
The deceased researcher has been identified as 28-year-old Darya Shipilova. She worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, located over 2,500 miles east of Moscow. According to Russian media, Shipilova broke a test tube containing plague bacteria in late September, developed severe pneumonia, and subsequently died from the illness. The World Health Organization confirmed her death from severe pneumonia on October 2.
The bacterium in question is yersinia pestis, infamous for causing the Black Death that devastated Europe in the mid-1300s. This pandemic, commonly known as the bubonic plague, claimed the lives of an estimated 25 to 50 million people. It was spread by fleas inhabiting rodents and other animals living in proximity to humans under poor sanitary conditions. If untreated, the pathogen can lead to swelling, fever, and death. Yersinia pestis, as seen in microscopic images, remains a threat to human health.
Shipilova reportedly succumbed to the pneumonic plague, caused by the same bacteria, which targets the lungs and induces fever and bloody cough. Unlike bubonic plague, pneumonic plague can be transmitted from person to person, making it more dangerous. Initially, Alexei Tsydenov, head of Russia’s Republic of Buryatia, confirmed Shipilova’s death from plague on the state-backed messaging app MAX but later modified the statement, adding “possibly,” according to Lyudi Baikala, an independent regional Russian media outlet operating in exile.
Other Russian officials also revised their statements. Local authorities initially advised against visiting the town of Shelekhov, where Shipilova had been hospitalized, based on “unofficial information” of a human plague case. This warning was withdrawn within two hours according to Lyudi Baikala and another independent news outlet, Astra.
Rospotrebnadzor announced that it conducted “anti-epidemic measures,” testing nearly 200 individuals who might have been in contact with Shipilova. The agency reported positive tests for colds and COVID, but no evidence of pathogens responsible for lethal infections. It denied any accident at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, attributing the scientist’s death to “pneumonia of unknown origin.”
A WHO spokesperson commented that based on unofficial information, the public health risk remains low. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, addressing reports of a suspected plague case, stated the situation did not warrant alarm but should be monitored. Rubio mentioned limited travel between the U.S. and Russia as a factor reducing immediate concern.