Russia on Monday sought to allay fears over reports that a laboratory technician had died from the plague. The news had raised concerns after it was claimed that Darya Shipilova, 28, who worked at an institute for plague control in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, had died from pneumonic plague. According to reports, Shipilova may have contracted the disease after a test tube broke.
US President Donald Trump said Washington was monitoring the situation closely and had offered assistance to Russia. "We're looking at it very seriously. We just heard about it," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked what Washington would do about the potential risk of the plague spreading from Russia. "We'll help them. We'll help them as much as we can."
Russian authorities have emphasized that post-mortem tests found no sign of the disease. Irkutsk region Governor Igor Kobzev said a special commission of experts had found that "pneumonia of an unknown origin" was the cause of her death. Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer and health watchdog, had also found no "microorganisms associated with the young woman's professional work" in her biological samples.
According to reports, up to 200 people who may have come into contact with Shipilova were placed under quarantine. However, Governor Kobzev said there had been no new cases of personnel from the plague control institute requiring medical attention since her death. He added that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk was "stable" and under control.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov urged people to rely on official statements from Rospotrebnadzor rather than rumors and speculation. The plague is a bacterial disease that can occur in different forms, including pneumonic plague, which is the most contagious and can be transmitted from person to person through the air.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says pneumonic plague can be fatal if not treated promptly. The reports are likely to be closely monitored in Washington, where memories of the COVID-19 pandemic are still fresh. Trump has been a strong proponent of the theory that COVID-19 was caused by a lab leak in Wuhan, China.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his country was monitoring the situation in Russia but saw no "reason for concern" at present. Experts say the measures reportedly put in place in Russia appear to be adequate, with quarantine measures and contact tracing underway to prevent further transmission.
Key points
- Russia seeks to allay fears over lab technician's death from plague
- US offers assistance to Russia over potential plague risk
- Experts say measures in Russia appear adequate to prevent plague spread
