Russian health officials state that the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia was not caused by the plague pathogen. The Interfax news agency reported that the worker at an institute specialising in plague-related diseases died of 'pneumonia of unknown origin', according to Rospotrebnadzor, the Russian service responsible for disease control.
No microorganisms 'linked to her professional activities' were detected in samples taken from the 28-year-old patient. The woman died on Friday at a district hospital in Shelekhov, near Irkutsk in Siberia. Rospotrebnadzor stated that the investigation found no laboratory accidents at the institute. Previous unverified reports suggested the woman may have contracted pulmonary plague after an accident involving a test tube.
The US State Department stated it is monitoring the case alongside its Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies. A spokesperson for the State Department said: 'Many details remain unconfirmed. We urge Russian authorities to share accurate information promptly.'
The health and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region, as well as in the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov, is stable, the agency stated, adding that a 'package of measures' is being implemented. No new infections have been recorded, the agency said. The Telegram channel People of Baikal reported that three general hospitals, a children's hospital, and a maternity hospital in Irkutsk have been placed in quarantine for at least three weeks. According to local reports, staff at the institute have been placed in quarantine at their workplace.
Pneumonic plague is a severe form of the disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It develops when the infection spreads to the lungs. The infection can be treated with antibiotics if treatment is started early. According to the Robert Koch Institute, a German state health agency, plague still occurs in parts of Africa, the Americas, and Asia, but not in Germany. The risk of an infected person entering the country is low, it added.
