Has plague returned to Siberia? Panic in Russia after death of lab worker
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A female staff member at an anti-plague institute in the Irkutsk region who died amid rumours of a "black death" outbreak was diagnosed with "pneumonia of unknown origin". Rospotrebnadzor insists that the situation in the region is "stable".
Residents of Russia's Irkutsk region are deeply worried by rumours of a possible outbreak of pneumonic plague in this Siberian area. Speculation began to spread rapidly after the death of an employee of the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute.
Darya Shipilova died in the early hours of 2 October in the intensive care unit of the district hospital in the town of Shelekhov. According to local media, she broke a test tube containing the plague pathogen.
The incident prompted authorities to introduce quarantine measures: around 200 people have been placed under strict medical observation. The outlet "Baikal People" (source in Russian) reports that several Irkutsk hospitals were immediately closed and placed under quarantine, due to last three weeks. On Saturday, masks were made compulsory as a preventive measure at the Irkutsk aluminium plant in Shelekhov.
Residents of Shelekhov have seen people on the streets wearing protective suits, masks and gloves. Local parents also say masks were handed out in kindergartens.
Residents of Russia's Irkutsk region are deeply worried by rumours of a possible outbreak of pneumonic plague in this Siberian area. Speculation began to spread rapidly after the death of an employee of the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute.
Darya Shipilova died in the early hours of 2 October in the intensive care unit of the district hospital in the town of Shelekhov. According to local media, she broke a test tube containing the plague pathogen.
The incident prompted authorities to introduce quarantine measures: around 200 people have been placed under strict medical observation. The outlet "Baikal People" (source in Russian) reports that several Irkutsk hospitals were immediately closed and placed under quarantine, due to last three weeks. On Saturday, masks were made compulsory as a preventive measure at the Irkutsk aluminium plant in Shelekhov.
Residents of Shelekhov have seen people on the streets wearing protective suits, masks and gloves. Local parents also say masks were handed out in kindergartens.
Where did the plague come from?
The deceased, a 28-year-old laboratory assistant, specialised in research on dangerous pathogens. According to the main account reported by her colleagues and independent media, on 25 September, while working with live biological material in the laboratory, she accidentally smashed a test tube containing the dangerous bacterium Yersinia pestis.
Two days later Shipilova's condition suddenly worsened. She was rushed to Shelekhov district hospital. At first doctors, unaware of what had happened, suspected a severe case of coronavirus and admitted her to a specialised Covid unit. However, the rapid deterioration and the clinical picture forced them to carry out rapid tests for highly dangerous infections. The patient was put on a ventilator, but her life could not be saved.
The pulmonary form of plague develops extremely fast and, without prompt and targeted antibiotic treatment, is almost invariably fatal.
The deceased, a 28-year-old laboratory assistant, specialised in research on dangerous pathogens. According to the main account reported by her colleagues and independent media, on 25 September, while working with live biological material in the laboratory, she accidentally smashed a test tube containing the dangerous bacterium Yersinia pestis.
Two days later Shipilova's condition suddenly worsened. She was rushed to Shelekhov district hospital. At first doctors, unaware of what had happened, suspected a severe case of coronavirus and admitted her to a specialised Covid unit. However, the rapid deterioration and the clinical picture forced them to carry out rapid tests for highly dangerous infections. The patient was put on a ventilator, but her life could not be saved.
The pulmonary form of plague develops extremely fast and, without prompt and targeted antibiotic treatment, is almost invariably fatal.
Are the authorities hiding information?
The authorities' immediate response underlined how serious the situation was. The head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, urgently arrived at Shelekhov hospital and took part in an emergency meeting of the sanitary and anti-epidemic commission chaired by regional governor Igor Kobzev.
After the incident, officials initially restricted the information they released. During the first 24 hours, authorities in the Irkutsk region and Governor Igor Kobzev avoided using the word "plague". On 2 October Kobzev spoke of "a particularly dangerous infection" and said that "the situation is under strict control". The next day the authorities in Baikalsk urged residents not to travel to Shelekhov because of plague, but deleted the post a few hours later.
The head of Buryatia, Alexey Tsydenov, also commented on the situation. Citing Rospotrebnadzor and the republican government, he said the woman's death was linked to plague infection, but later his statement was amended to a more cautious wording.
This lack of clarity has fuelled panic on social networks in Irkutsk and neighbouring regions.
Well-known Russian epidemiologist Gennady Onishchenko tried to reassure local residents, saying that plague carriers - rodents and fleas - in Siberia usually go into winter dormancy by early October. But that did not dispel people's fears.
The authorities' immediate response underlined how serious the situation was. The head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, urgently arrived at Shelekhov hospital and took part in an emergency meeting of the sanitary and anti-epidemic commission chaired by regional governor Igor Kobzev.
After the incident, officials initially restricted the information they released. During the first 24 hours, authorities in the Irkutsk region and Governor Igor Kobzev avoided using the word "plague". On 2 October Kobzev spoke of "a particularly dangerous infection" and said that "the situation is under strict control". The next day the authorities in Baikalsk urged residents not to travel to Shelekhov because of plague, but deleted the post a few hours later.
The head of Buryatia, Alexey Tsydenov, also commented on the situation. Citing Rospotrebnadzor and the republican government, he said the woman's death was linked to plague infection, but later his statement was amended to a more cautious wording.
This lack of clarity has fuelled panic on social networks in Irkutsk and neighbouring regions.
Well-known Russian epidemiologist Gennady Onishchenko tried to reassure local residents, saying that plague carriers - rodents and fleas - in Siberia usually go into winter dormancy by early October. But that did not dispel people's fears.
"Pneumonia of unknown aetiology"
On Sunday, Rospotrebnadzor said that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk region was stable, and that the woman had died from "pneumonia of unknown aetiology". The agency insists that further testing of samples taken from the patient did not reveal any micro-organisms related to her professional work.
"The sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk region, in the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov, is stable," the press service of Rospotrebnadzor said. "A special package of measures has been organised and carried out in connection with the illness of an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East, diagnosis: 'Pneumonia of unknown aetiology'."
Rospotrebnadzor also stated that no incidents involving pathogenic microorganismshad been recorded at the institute and that "no staff member has sought medical help for infectious diseases in the past 10 days".
On Sunday, Rospotrebnadzor said that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk region was stable, and that the woman had died from "pneumonia of unknown aetiology". The agency insists that further testing of samples taken from the patient did not reveal any micro-organisms related to her professional work.
"The sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk region, in the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov, is stable," the press service of Rospotrebnadzor said. "A special package of measures has been organised and carried out in connection with the illness of an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East, diagnosis: 'Pneumonia of unknown aetiology'."
Rospotrebnadzor also stated that no incidents involving pathogenic microorganismshad been recorded at the institute and that "no staff member has sought medical help for infectious diseases in the past 10 days".
Russia denies plague death at Irkutsk institute as aluminium plant orders masks
Russia's consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor has denied that an employee of an Irkutsk anti-plague institute died of plague, saying she had pneumonia of undetermined origin, Kursiv Media reported on October 4.
The denial follows days of unconfirmed reports of a plague death in Shelekhov, an industrial town of 40,262 people in Irkutsk region that is home to the Irkutsk Aluminium Plant. On October 3, nearly 200 people were placed under medical observation after the reported death, and the official line now contradicts the earlier accounts.
Rospotrebnadzor named the woman as Darya Shpilova, 28, who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East. She was hospitalised on September 29 and died on October 1, local media reported.
A commission found that no accidents involving pathogenic microorganisms had occurred at the institute and that no staff members had symptoms of an infectious disease.
Investigators examined two theories, a trip to Thailand and a laboratory accident involving a broken test tube containing the plague pathogen, and found no evidence for either. The watchdog said the epidemiological situation in the region remained stable.
At least 197 people had contact with the deceased patient, regional news site Krasnodarmedia reported, citing Izvestiya. Of these, 189 were hospitalised for observation, 114 in one regional hospital, 63 in another and 12 at the anti-plague institute. Eight were not hospitalised. All showed no signs of illness and their laboratory results were negative.
Shelekhov district hospital closed its inpatient ward on the evening of October 1 over a suspected dangerous infection in a deceased patient, regional news site Stolitsa na Onego reported.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev convened an emergency meeting of the regional sanitary and epidemiological commission with Russia's chief state sanitary doctor Anna Popova, and Rospotrebnadzor approved an operational action plan, Krasnodarmedia reported. Local authorities asked residents to limit visits to Shelekhov and neighbouring towns, and a city clean-up planned in Irkutsk on October 3 was postponed for safety reasons.
The Irkutsk Aluminium Plant, which has 2,154 employees, introduced mandatory masks. Plant director Artyom Fominykh announced the move on Telegram.
"We have introduced a mask protocol at the facility as a precaution. God protects the cautious, so follow safety measures. If symptoms appear, seek medical help immediately," Fominykh said, Stolitsa na Onego reported. He added that Rospotrebnadzor was carrying out the necessary procedures and that identified contacts showed no signs of illness.
Gennady Onishchenko, an epidemiologist and academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said the infection was "likely not plague", while noting that specialists have treatment and prevention protocols if it is confirmed, Krasnodarmedia reported.
Uzbekistan strengthened sanitary controls at its borders after the incident with no plague cases have been confirmed in the country.
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