Has plague returned to Siberia? Panic in Russia after death of lab worker
A female staff member at an anti-plague institute in the Irkutsk region who died amid rumours of a "black death" outbreak was diagnosed with "pneumonia of unknown origin". Rospotrebnadzor insists that the situation in the region is "stable".
A laboratory assistant working with dangerous pathogens in Irkutsk, Russia, died from pneumonic plague after accidentally breaking a test tube containing the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The incident has sparked panic and speculation, with authorities implementing quarantine measures and introducing mandatory mask-wearing at an aluminium plant in the city.
The head of Russia's Center for Disease Control and Prevention arrived at the hospital and led an emergency meeting to control the situation, but initially avoided using the word "plague" in their statements. Officials have since confirmed that the patient died from pneumonia of unknown aetiology, but no pathogenic microorganisms related to the lab work were found in tests.
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