What happened
A 28-year-old Russian scientist, Darya Shipilova, died under mysterious circumstances at a Siberian plague institute. The Kremlin has not publicly identified the pathogen that killed her, stating only that she died from 'pneumonia of unknown aetiology [origin]'.
Darya was a researcher at the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East and was involved in testing antibiotics that fought the Y. pestis bacterium, which causes the plague. She was hospitalized on September 29 and died a few days later.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for a continued investigation into the incident, seeking to understand the 'causative agent' of Darya's fatal pneumonia. Russian health officials have conducted over 5,500 tests but found no evidence of any dangerous pathogenic microorganisms.
Darya's family has refused to discuss her death publicly, amid fears they have been gagged. Her mother previously denied theories that Darya may have been infected after breaking a test tube containing bacteria, stating that it is 'impossible' to break the test tubes used in these research institutions.
The incident has raised concerns about Russia's handling of the crisis, with the Kremlin declining to take specific questions regarding the disease and urging the public to only listen to public health officials. The WHO has cited initial, unconfirmed reports suggesting pneumonic plague, a severe disease that spreads from person to person, causing a severe form of pneumonia.