Brief
Lab worker dies in Siberia, nearly 200 placed under observation
Health officials in Russia's Irkutsk region placed around 200 people under medical observation after a lab worker died from a suspected plague infection.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Nearly 200 people have been placed under medical observation in Russia's Irkutsk region after a 28‑year‑old anti‑plague institute worker died following a suspected plague infection, according to regional officials and media reports.
The worker, identified as Daria Sh., was hospitalized in Shelekhov after developing severe symptoms, was put on a ventilator and died two days later. The Shelekhov District Hospital was subsequently placed under quarantine, and 197 contacts, including more than 100 hospital patients, were put under observation.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said all identified contacts had been monitored and that those tested showed no signs of illness, urging the public to remain calm. Reports differ on how the infection occurred: one account says Daria broke a test tube containing live bacteria while sampling, another suggests she was bitten by a laboratory rat. No official confirmation of the plague form – bubonic or pneumonic – has been released.
Key facts
- A 28‑year‑old anti‑plague institute worker died after a suspected plague infection in Irkutsk region. (timesnownews.com)
- Around 200 people, including over 100 hospital patients, were placed under medical observation. (timesnownews.com)
- Governor Igor Kobzev said all contacts tested showed no signs of illness. (timesnownews.com)
What we don't know yet
- Official confirmation of the specific form of plague involved.
Sources
- [1] timesnownews.com — originally reported as “Russia Plague Mystery: Lab Worker Dies In Siberia Region, Nearly 200 Placed Under Observation”
