3 hrs ago
WHO Rates Public Plague Risk Low After Siberian Lab Death
A worker at a laboratory in Siberia died after becoming ill.
Russian officials are checking whether plague caused her death, but they have not confirmed the cause.
Her illness first looked like a common respiratory virus.
Officials found people who had been in contact with her and monitored them.
Tests did not find dangerous infectious disease pathogens among those contacts.
The World Health Organization says the risk is low for people in Russia overall.
It says the risk is higher in Irkutsk than in Russia as a whole, but still describes it as moderate to low there.
WHO is watching the situation and says it can help Russian officials if asked.
The World Health Organization says the public health risk from plague is low across Russia.
A 28-year-old laboratory technician, Darya Shipilova, died in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
Russian authorities are investigating whether pneumonic plague caused her death; the cause has not been confirmed.
WHO described the risk as moderate to low in Irkutsk, low across Russia, and very low in the WHO European region.
Authorities identified and monitored contacts; WHO said tests found no dangerous infectious disease pathogens among them.
- Who
- Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory technician; Russian authorities and the World Health Organization are monitoring the situation.
- What
- Shipilova died after an illness, and authorities are investigating whether pneumonic plague caused her death.
- Where
- Irkutsk region, Siberia, Russia.
- When
- The WHO assessment was reported at a Tuesday press briefing; the article does not specify the date of the death.
- Why
- Authorities are investigating because Shipilova worked at a laboratory studying dangerous pathogens and pneumonic plague is being considered as a possible cause of her death.
Key facts
- Person who died
- Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory technician
- Location
- Irkutsk region, Siberia, Russia
- Possible cause
- Pneumonic plague is under investigation; the cause of death has not been confirmed
- WHO risk assessment
- Moderate to low in Irkutsk; low for Russia overall; very low for the WHO European region
- Contact testing
- WHO said tests detected no pathogens of dangerous infectious diseases among identified contacts
- WHO response
- WHO is monitoring developments, informing other countries, and is ready to support Russian authorities if requested
Quotes
Christian Lindmeier
WHO spokesman
“The WHO initial risk assessment from the information available estimates the risk to be moderate to low for Irkutsk, a low risk for the Russian Federation as a whole, and very low for the WHO European region.”
freepressjournal.in
“A woman who worked at a laboratory in Irkutsk oblast has died, and the authorities are looking into whether pneumonic plague caused her death.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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