Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Siberian Lab Technician Dies After Reported Plague Exposure
Daria Shipilova worked in a laboratory in Shelekhov, Russia.
Reports say a test tube containing pneumonic plague bacteria broke while she was working.
She became very ill with pneumonia and went to the hospital on September 29.
She died on October 2.
Authorities started quarantine procedures in the area.
At least 197 people who may have been in contact with her were placed under medical isolation.
The report does not say whether any of those people became ill.
Daria Shipilova worked at an anti-plague institute in Shelekhov, in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
Reports say she broke a test tube containing pneumonic plague bacteria while working.
Shipilova was admitted to hospital with severe pneumonia on September 29.
She died on October 2.
At least 197 people who may have had contact with her were placed under medical isolation.
- Who
- Laboratory technician Daria Shipilova and at least 197 people who may have had contact with her.
- What
- Shipilova died after a reported laboratory exposure involving a broken test tube containing pneumonic plague bacteria; potentially exposed people were placed under medical isolation.
- When
- She was admitted to hospital on September 29 and died on October 2; the year is not specified.
- Where
- An anti-plague institute in Shelekhov, in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
- Why
- Quarantine procedures were initiated after the reported laboratory incident and possible contact with Shipilova.
- Technician
- Daria Shipilova
- Facility
- An anti-plague institute in Shelekhov
- Reported incident
- A test tube containing pneumonic plague bacteria was reportedly broken
- Hospital admission
- September 29, with severe pneumonia
- Death
- October 2
- People isolated
- At least 197 people who may have had contact with Shipilova
- Response
- Rospotrebnadzor initiated plague quarantine procedures in Shelekhov