Darya Shipilova: Who was Russian anti-plague lab worker who died? Moscow accused of covering up leak

Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia, passed away on October 2 after developing severe pneumonia of unknown origin. Her death has sparked a public-health scare in Russia, with rumors circulating that she may have contracted pneumonic plague, a respiratory form of the disease caused by Yersinia pestis.

However, there is currently no confirmed evidence that Shipilova died from plague or that she contracted an infection through her work. The institute, which specializes in studying dangerous infectious diseases, including plague, has denied any laboratory accident involving pathogenic microorganisms. Close contacts of Shipilova are under observation, with around 200 people currently being monitored for potential exposure.

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