In Irkutsk, Siberia, a laboratory worker has died from plague after breaking a test tube containing live bacteria while gathering samples. Nearly 200 people who may have been exposed are under medical observation. Alexei Tsydenov, head of the neighboring republic of Buryatia, confirmed the death in a statement Friday.
A worker at the Irkutsk anti-plague institute, aged either 27 or 28, allegedly informed hospital personnel that she had unintentionally shattered a container holding living bacteria. The woman was admitted to the hospital Tuesday showing signs of serious lung illness in Shelekhov, which sits close to the regional capital of Irkutsk. She was placed on a breathing machine and passed away Thursday, per reports.
Key Facts
- Death: Confirmed by Alexei Tsydenov, head of Buryatia
- Patient: Daria Sh., 27-28 years old, Irkutsk anti-plague institute employee
- Exposure cases: At least 197 people placed under medical isolation, including more than 100 in hospital wards
- Plague type: Suspected pneumonic plague, which affects the lungs and can spread between humans through respiratory droplets
The Break That Changed Everything
Tsydenov confirmed the woman’s death from an unspecified form of plague, citing information from Russia’s consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor and Buryatia’s government. He said the woman had not visited his republic and that her infection was unrelated to the region.
“There are no plague outbreaks in the republic, including in areas bordering Mongolia,” he wrote on social media.
A special commission is due to assess the situation before the Shelekhov district hospital can be taken off quarantine. In Irkutsk, authorities called off scheduled public gatherings. Law enforcement has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into possible health safety violations resulting in death.
Who Responded
After a meeting with Rospotrebnadzor chief Anna Popova to coordinate emergency containment measures, Irkutsk region Governor Igor Kobzev asked people to stay calm.
“All identified contact persons have been placed under medical observation. As of today, the contacts show no signs of illness, and their laboratory test results are negative,” Kobzev wrote on Telegram on Friday. He did not mention the reports of the laboratory worker’s death.
What Is Pneumonic Plague
The reports characterize the suspected infection as pneumonic plague, a lung ailment that spreads between people via respiratory droplets. Tsydenov’s statement did not name the form of plague.
The city’s quarantine restrictions show worry about the sickness passing from person to person.
The Criminal Investigation
Investigators are examining whether proper protocols were followed, which adds weight to the concern over health safety violations resulting in death — serious charges that carry significant consequences.
The Situation Now
There were no signs of illness and all tests came back negative as of Friday, leaving all contacts still under observation.
What makes this case stand out is the odd pairing of witnesses backing it up. Two very different outlets both put a name to the woman in question: Lyudi Baikala (People of Baikal), an exiled news outlet, and REN TV, a broadcaster with ties to the Kremlin.
A laboratory worker’s death in a far-off part of Siberia has brought into question the safety measures used in facilities that deal with hazardous pathogens.
Source material: “Nearly 200 People Under Observation After Irkutsk Lab Worker Dies from Plague,” themoscowtimes.com.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.