Russian health authorities refuted claims of a second individual falling sick following the demise of a lab worker at a plague research facility in Siberia. The reports circulating on social media about a second illness case were dismissed as misinformation. Extensive investigations were conducted on all contacts of the deceased woman, revealing no health concerns related to infectious diseases. Nearly 5,000 laboratory tests also confirmed the absence of any dangerous pathogens.
The 28-year-old lab employee, Daria Shipilova, passed away from pneumonia with an unknown cause last week. She worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in the town of Shelekhov, leading to the implementation of precautionary measures by Russian authorities. The health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, stated that no relevant pathogens were found in individuals who had contact with Shipilova. Officials mentioned that she was vaccinated and immune to the infections she handled.
The World Health Organization initially assessed the public risk in the Russian case as low, but highlighted the need for more information from Russian authorities to conduct a thorough risk assessment. WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, offered assistance to Russia and sought verification of media reports regarding a second employee with unexplained pneumonia.
Health Canada and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring the situation, with both countries indicating low risks to their populations. The CDC is prepared to screen travelers from Siberia, where direct flights to the United States have been suspended since 2022 due to the conflict in Ukraine.