Researcher at Russian plague laboratory dies of ‘unknown’ infection
Dozens of people were reported to be in isolation after a Russian laboratory worker at an institute dedicated to studying the plague and other infectious diseases died of an undisclosed illness. The researcher, a 28-year-old female laboratory technician at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia, in the town of Shelekhov, died after being diagnosed … The post Researcher at Russian…
A Russian scientist working at a laboratory specializing in the study of the plague and other infectious diseases passed away from an unidentified infection, according to the Russian agency overseeing infectious diseases. The 28-year-old female laboratory technician at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute in Shelekhov succumbed to a pneumonia with no known cause, as confirmed by Rospotrebnadzor.
The agency downplayed any connection to her work, stating that no plague-related micro-organisms were found in her samples. Nonetheless, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Yuryevna Popova, rushed to Irkutsk to address what was described as a "suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection" in the region. The institute where she worked declined to comment on the matter.
In response, local authorities have implemented a series of anti-epidemic measures, including placing the inpatient unit of the hospital where the woman was treated under quarantine and halting patient admissions and discharges. Other hospitals in the area have also been closed. While local residents report no visible changes in the city, they express concern and anxiety over the incident.
Unofficial sources suggest that around 200 people are currently under observation, though there have been no reported cases of infectious diseases among institute staff over the past 10 days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised the public to rely solely on official statements from Rospotrebnadzor and not to fall for rumors or speculation.
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