Russian health authorities refuted rumors of a second individual falling ill after the tragic death of a laboratory worker at a plague research facility in Siberia. The health regulator dismissed the “fake information” circulating on social media regarding a supposed second case of illness, stating that extensive checks on all contacts of the deceased revealed no health issues related to infectious diseases. Nearly 5,000 laboratory tests conducted also showed no presence of dangerous pathogens.
The deceased individual, identified as 28-year-old Daria Shipilova, succumbed to pneumonia of unknown origin last week. Shipilova worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East, located in Shelekhov. Russian authorities implemented precautionary anti-epidemic measures following the incident, which garnered global attention.
According to Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s health watchdog, Shipilova’s cause of death was attributed to an unidentified form of pneumonia, and no relevant pathogens were detected in those who had contact with her. Officials highlighted that Shipilova had been vaccinated and thus was immune to the infectious agents she worked with.
The World Health Organization initially assessed the public risk level as low in the Russia case but expressed the need for more information from Russian authorities to conduct a comprehensive risk evaluation. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus extended assistance to Russia and sought verification of media reports regarding a second employee with unexplained pneumonia.
Health Canada and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that there was no immediate risk to their countries from the reported incident. Health monitoring measures were in place, with CDC director Erica Schwartz mentioning preparedness to monitor and screen travelers. Direct flights between Russia and the United States have been halted since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.