What happened
Russia has imposed a lockdown on hospitals and medical centers in a 30-square-mile area due to a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak. The lockdown was initiated after a 28-year-old laboratory technician, Darya Shipilova, died from the disease. Shipilova was working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia when she accidentally broke a test tube holding live bacteria, exposing herself to the plague.
As a result, hundreds of people who came into contact with Shipilova have been placed in quarantine. Five hospitals in the Irkutsk area have been closed for a three-week quarantine, and hundreds of staff and patients are barred from leaving. The city's healthcare sector is on high alert, with doctors reportedly talking openly about the plague.
Regional authorities have implemented anti-epidemic measures, including a mask mandate and increased epidemiological surveillance. Several countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, have tightened health checks at their borders with Russia due to the suspected infection.
The Kremlin has downplayed the situation, stating that the public should only trust updates from the official health agency. However, there are claims that Russian authorities are attempting to hide the true extent of the outbreak. The situation remains uncertain, with reports of drug shortages and terrified residents demanding supplies.
