Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Suspected Plague Death in Siberia Renews Fears About Lung Disease
A laboratory worker in Siberia died after becoming very sick with pneumonia.
Reports said a tube with a dangerous germ may have broken at her workplace.
Officials have not confirmed that she had plague, and the cause of her pneumonia was described as unknown.
About 200 people who may have been near her were reportedly checked or kept apart from others.
Pneumonic plague is a serious illness that affects the lungs.
It can spread through droplets from an infected person or animal.
Experts say antibiotics can treat plague if given promptly.
They also say tests are needed to know what illness someone has.
The reports differed on whether the worker had visited Buryatia.
A 28-year-old laboratory worker, named Daria or Darya Shipilova in reports, died on October 1 after developing severe pneumonia of unknown origin.
Reports said a test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen broke at an anti-plague laboratory in Irkutsk on September 25; plague has not been confirmed as the cause of her illness.
Around 200 people who may have been in contact with her were reportedly screened or quarantined.
Reports said Irkutsk cancelled public events and opened a criminal investigation into possible health-safety violations.
Pneumonic plague affects the lungs and can spread through infectious respiratory droplets; experts say prompt antibiotics can treat plague, but diagnosis requires medical assessment and testing.
- Who
- A 28-year-old laboratory worker identified in reports as Daria or Darya Shipilova, and around 200 possible contacts.
- What
- The worker died after developing severe pneumonia; a possible plague infection and laboratory exposure were reported but not confirmed.
- When
- The reported test-tube break was September 25; she was hospitalized September 29 and died October 1. The year is not specified in the reports about her death.
- Where
- An anti-plague laboratory in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia.
- Why
- Authorities reportedly screened or quarantined possible contacts and investigated potential safety violations following concern about a possible exposure.
Reported claims
Official statements and uncertainty
Whether Shipilova visited Buryatia
Reported claims
Mash said she showed symptoms after returning from a work trip to Buryatia.
Official statements and uncertainty
Buryatia's head of government, Alexei Tsydenov, was reported as denying that she had visited the republic; another article attributed to him a statement that she died from an unspecified form of plague.
Whether she had plague
Reported claims
Reports described a possible exposure after a test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen reportedly broke.
Official statements and uncertainty
The articles say her pneumonia's cause was unknown and do not establish a confirmed pneumonic plague diagnosis.
- Worker's age
- 28
- Reported laboratory incident
- A test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen reportedly broke on September 25.
- Hospitalization and death
- Reportedly hospitalized with severe pneumonia on September 29; died October 1.
- Possible contacts
- Around 200 people were reportedly screened or quarantined.
- Confirmed diagnosis
- The articles do not establish that the worker had plague; her pneumonia was described as having an unknown origin.
- Reported local response
- Public events in Irkutsk were reportedly cancelled, and a criminal investigation into possible safety violations was reported.
- Disease transmission and treatment
- Pneumonic plague can spread through infectious respiratory droplets; experts said prompt antibiotics can treat plague.
- Buryatia account
- Reports differed: Mash said Shipilova returned from Buryatia, while Buryatia's head of government denied she had visited; another report attributed a claim of an unspecified form of plague to him.
