{
  "id": 12669673,
  "title": "Russia rules out epidemic risk as WHO seeks answers over plague institute worker's death",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/russia-rules-out-epidemic-risk-as-who-seeks-answers-over-plague",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-07T16:30:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/10/1550090/russia-rules-out-epidemic-risk-who-seeks-answers-over-plague-institute"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Russia's health regulator, Rospotrebnadzor, stated on Wednesday that there is no risk of an epidemic breaking out in Siberia following the death of a plague institute worker. The 28-year-old laboratory worker, Darya Shipilova, passed away on Friday from pneumonia of an unknown origin. Around 200 people were initially placed in quarantine, but by Wednesday, 90 percent of them had been released after failing to detect any dangerous pathogens through nearly 5,000 lab tests. The World Health Organization (WHO) has requested more information from Russia to understand the cause of Shipilova's severe pneumonia and the pathogen responsible for the public health measures. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized the importance of timely, complete, and transparent information sharing under the International Health Regulations to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public health risks. The Kremlin has criticized the false information in the media and urged caution when relying on media reports, stating that Russia had properly informed the WHO in line with established procedures. However, Reuters was unable to find any evidence of a second person in Siberia dying from plague, with the WHO confirming that they had no further details to add beyond what Tedros had already shared on X.",
  "summary": "MOSCOW: Russia’s health regulator said on Wednesday there were no risks of an epidemic breaking out in Siberia after a plague institute worker there died, as the World Health Organization pressed Moscow for more information about her cause of death.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "'Will call Putin over pneumonic plague,' says Trump - what is happening in Russia?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/will-call-putin-over-pneumonic-plague-says-trump-what-is-happening-in",
        "published": "2026-10-07T02:44:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Possible pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia remains unconfirmed, expert cautions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/possible-pneumonic-plague-outbreak-in-russia-remains-unconfirmed",
        "published": "2026-10-07T11:59:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu Health",
        "title": "EU urges Russia to be 'transparent' on plague reports",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/eu-urges-russia-to-be-transparent-on-plague-reports",
        "published": "2026-10-07T13:04:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Russia says plague institute worker's death does not risk an epidemic",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/russia-says-plague-institute-workers-death-does-not-risk-an-epidemic",
        "published": "2026-10-07T18:47:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}