Russian health authorities have refuted claims of a second individual falling ill after the death of a lab worker at a plague research institute in Siberia. The regulator dismissed what it called “false information circulating on social media” regarding another case of illness. They confirmed that all contacts of the deceased woman were checked, and no infectious diseases were detected among them after nearly 5,000 laboratory tests.
The 28-year-old lab employee, Daria Shipilova, passed away recently from pneumonia with an unknown cause. She worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute located in Shelekhov. Russian officials swiftly implemented preventive measures following her death, garnering global attention.
Health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor stated that Shipilova’s death was due to an unidentified type of pneumonia, with no relevant pathogens found in those who had contact with her. They mentioned that she had been vaccinated against the dangerous infections she worked with.
The World Health Organization initially assessed the public risk of the situation as low but expressed the need for more information from Russian authorities to provide a comprehensive risk evaluation. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus offered assistance to Russia and urged verification of media reports about a possible second case of pneumonia among lab workers.
Health Canada and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are closely monitoring the situation. Both countries see low risks of exposure with appropriate measures in place. The U.S. CDC has prepared to monitor and screen travelers from the affected region, while direct flights between Russia and the U.S. remain suspended since the conflict in Ukraine began in 2022.