What happened
A laboratory worker in Russia has died after being exposed to the plague, sparking fears of a potential outbreak. The 28-year-old worker, Daria Shipilova, was employed at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov, a town in Siberia near the Mongolian border. She was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of severe pneumonia and died sometime between October 1 and 2.
According to Russian media, Shipilova was exposed to the virus after breaking a test tube while collecting samples. However, a prominent Russian epidemiologist has cast doubt on this narrative, suggesting that the story may be a cover-up. The Russian public health agency has reported that Shipilova contracted pneumonia of unknown origin, but it is suspected that she may have contracted pneumonic plague, also known as the Black Death.
Following the incident, Russian authorities have ordered 200 people who came into contact with Shipilova into quarantine, and issued quarantine orders for at least five nearby hospitals. The White House is also monitoring the situation and assessing options. The incident has drawn comparisons to the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, which emerged after a lab leak in China in 2019.
The pneumonic plague is a highly infectious and deadly disease that can be transmitted from person to person. Symptoms include headache, fever, and rapidly developing pneumonia. While Russian authorities have urged calm, regional reports suggest that officials may be more concerned than they are letting on. A shortage of antibiotics has been reported in the area surrounding the Anti-Plague Research Institute, and employees of a nearby aluminum plant have been instructed to wear masks.
