A suspected case of pneumonic plague in Siberia has triggered heightened public-health precautions after a 28-year-old laboratory worker at an anti-plague research institute died following severe pneumonia.
Nearly 200 people who may have come into contact with her have reportedly been placed under medical observation, while several hospitals in the Irkutsk region have introduced quarantine measures and a nearby aluminium plant has made masks mandatory.
28-year-old Darya Shipilova was a laboratory researcher at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov. She was reportedly hospitalised on September 29 after developing severe pneumonia and was subsequently placed on a ventilator.
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Russia's federal public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, stated that Shipilova had been diagnosed with "pneumonia of unknown etiology" - meaning that the cause had not been established. The agency also said that the epidemiological situation in Irkutsk, Shelekhov and the wider Irkutsk region remains stable.
The uncertainty comes amid reports from Russian media that Shipilova may have been exposed to Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague, while working at the anti-plague institute. However, Rospotrebnadzor said that additional testing did not detect microorganisms associated with her professional work. It also said that there had been no recorded accident involving pathogenic microorganisms at the Institute, contradicting the reported laboratory exposure account.
Other reports have different explanations for her illness, including a possible exposure during a work-related trio, however, these accounts have not been independently established.
The United States is also reportedly monitoring the situation. A US State Department official told Al Jazeera that Washington was aware of reports of a fatal suspected pneumonia plague case in Irkutsk and was monitoring developments with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies.
The official also stated that many details had not been confirmed and urged Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly.
What Is Pneumonic Plague?
Pneumonic plague is a form of plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis that affects the lungs. Unlike the bubonic plague, which is commonly associated with infected fleas, pneumonic plague can spread between people through respiratory droplets, according to medical information cited by Meduza. The disease can reportedly become severe rapidly, but antibiotics can be effective when treatment begins promptly.
For now, however, Russian authorities have not confirmed that Shipilova had pneumonic plague or that a plague outbreak is underway. The current situation therefore remains one of suspected plague exposure and precautionary public health measures, rather than a confirmed plague outbreak.
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