The United States is closely monitoring a suspected case of pneumonic plague in Russia following the death of a laboratory worker at an anti-plague research institute in Siberia. The incident has led to quarantine measures and medical observation for nearly 200 people who had contact with the deceased.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington was watching the situation carefully, highlighting concerns that an infection escaping a laboratory could spread rapidly. However, he emphasized that he did not consider the event a “cause for alarm” but rather a reason for focused attention and continued oversight. Separately, US President Donald Trump expressed concern, saying, “I hate to see them having it,” and offered US assistance to Russia in dealing with the disease.
The worker, identified by Russian media as 28-year-old Daria Shipilova, was employed at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute. She died on September 29, two days after being admitted to a hospital outside Irkutsk. Russian health authorities initially attributed the cause of death to pneumonia of unknown or undetermined origin.
While local media outlets reported that pneumonic plague might have been responsible, Russian authorities have not officially confirmed a plague infection. Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev stated that tests found no microorganisms linked to Shipilova’s professional activities and reported no new illnesses among institute employees. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged the public to rely on statements from Rospotrebnadzor, the agency handling the investigation, and affirmed that the sanitary-epidemiological situation was currently stable.
The inpatient facility where Shipilova was treated was placed under quarantine, and approximately 200 individuals who had contact with her were placed under medical observation. Staff at the research institute were also reportedly isolated within the facility. The US State Department noted that many details remained unconfirmed and urged Russian authorities to share accurate information quickly and openly. The World Health Organization (WHO) also confirmed that no official cause of death had been established.
Pneumonic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis (the same bacterium responsible for bubonic plague), is particularly concerning as it can spread through respiratory droplets. Medical experts stress the critical importance of rapid antibiotic treatment to prevent fatalities.
If confirmed, this would mark Russia’s first recorded human plague infection in a decade. The last confirmed case occurred in 2016, when a 10-year-old boy in the Altai Republic contracted plague after contact with a marmot and subsequently survived after treatment.