Nearly 200 people have been placed under medical observation in Russia’s Irkutsk region after a laboratory worker died following what regional authorities described as a plague infection.
The incident has prompted quarantine measures at a hospital in the Siberian city of Shelekhov, while health authorities trace people who may have come into contact with the woman.
Alexei Tsydenov, head of neighbouring Buryatia, confirmed that the woman had died from an unspecified form of plague. He also said there was no plague outbreak in Buryatia, including areas bordering Mongolia.
Laboratory Worker Dies After Severe Pneumonia
Russian media identified the woman as Daria Sh., a 27- or 28-year-old employee of the Irkutsk anti-plague institute.
Reports cited by The Moscow Times said she told medical staff that she had accidentally broken a test tube containing live bacteria while collecting samples for testing. However, that account has not been independently confirmed by an official statement cited by major reports.
She was reportedly admitted to hospital on Tuesday after developing symptoms of severe pneumonia. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she was placed on a ventilator before dying on Thursday, according to media reports.
Some reports have described the illness as pneumonic plague, but Tsydenov’s statement did not specify the form of plague involved. Russian regional authorities had initially referred to the illness as a “particularly dangerous infection.”
Nearly 200 People Under Medical Observation
At least 197 people who may have come into contact with the woman were reportedly placed under medical observation or isolation, with more than 100 reportedly being monitored in hospital wards.
The reported number refers to people considered possible contacts, not confirmed plague cases.
Irkutsk Region Governor Igor Kobzev said all identified contacts had been placed under medical observation and that, as of Friday, they showed no signs of illness and their laboratory test results were negative.
The Shelekhov district hospital where the woman was treated was placed under quarantine while health officials assessed the situation.
Public Events Cancelled in Irkutsk
Authorities have introduced additional measures following the reported death.
Public events in Irkutsk were cancelled, while officials launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, has also been involved in the response.
The measures are aimed at identifying and monitoring people who may have been exposed and determining whether there is any further transmission.
Tsydenov separately stressed that there was no plague outbreak in Buryatia, including in areas close to the Mongolian border. He also said the woman had not visited Buryatia.
Authorities Monitor Situation
The reported case has drawn attention because the woman was said to have worked at an anti-plague institute, where laboratory personnel handle dangerous infectious agents.
However, the precise circumstances of her infection remain subject to investigation. Reports about an accidental breakage of a test tube containing live plague bacteria have been attributed to media accounts rather than confirmed in the official statements cited by major outlets.
For now, authorities are monitoring the identified contacts. The latest statement cited by major reports indicated that those contacts had not developed symptoms and had tested negative at that stage.
The situation remains under investigation as Russian health authorities continue containment and monitoring measures in the Irkutsk region.