Russia plays down reported plague lab death and says, trust us
Summary
Russian officials downplayed reports that a scientist died from the plague after a lab accident in Siberia. The government said the scientist died of pneumonia of unknown origin and found no dangerous infections among people exposed to her.Key Facts
- A 28-year-old scientist named Darya Shipilova worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute in Siberia.
- Media first reported she died of plague after breaking a test tube with plague bacteria in late September.
- The plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis, caused the historic Black Death and can be very dangerous.
- Officials originally said she died of pneumonic plague but later changed their statements to be less certain.
- Russia’s health agency tested about 200 people who had contact with her and found only mild illnesses like colds or COVID-19.
- The health agency said no lab accident occurred and called her death pneumonia of unknown origin.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the situation is not alarming but should be monitored.
- Local warnings about visiting the town where she died were removed after less than two hours.
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