Authorities say lab technician in Siberia did not die of plague
05.10.2026, DPA
Russian health officials say the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia was not caused by the plague pathogen.
The Interfax news agency reported on Monday that the worker at an institute specializing in the control of plague-related diseases died of "pneumonia of unknown origin," according to Rospotrebnadzor, the Russian authority responsible for disease control.
No microorganisms "related to her professional activities" were detected in samples taken from the 28-year-old patient. The woman died last Friday at the district hospital in the town of Shelekhov near Irkutsk in Siberia.
Rospotrebnadzor said investigations revealed that there had been no laboratory accident at the institute in Irkutsk. Previously, there had been unconfirmed reports that the woman might have become infected with pneumonic plague when a test tube accidentally fell on her.
The sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region, as well as in the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov, is stable, the authority stated, adding that a "package of measures" is being implemented there.
The People of Baikal Telegram channel reported that two general hospitals and a children's hospital in Irkutsk have been placed under quarantine. According to local reports, the institute's staff were in quarantine at their workplace. No further infections have been recorded.
Pneumonic plague is a severe form of the disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It can develop when the infection spreads to the lungs. The infection can be treated with antibiotics if treatment begins early.
No comments:
Post a Comment