Global concern over plague has intensified in Russia following the death of an employee at the Institute of Rabies Science in Irkutsk. Daria Shipilova, 28, passed away on October 2 after severe pneumonia. Approximately 200 people who had been in contact with her were placed under medical observation, although it has not yet been confirmed that her death is related to the plague.
The situation raises serious alarm because Shipilova worked at an institution that conducts research on plague and other dangerous infectious diseases. Media reports claimed the illness might have resulted from exposure in the laboratory; some reports indicated possible infection after a test tube broke. Nevertheless, Russian health authorities identified her illness as pneumonia of unknown etiology and stated there was no evidence of dangerous microorganisms linked to her work in the laboratory.
Following media reports of plague, the World Health Organization (WHO) requested information from Russia in accordance with the International Health Regulations. The Russian side informed the WHO that there are no confirmed cases of plague in Irkutsk. According to officials, those who came into contact with the sick person were checked, and no signs of plague or other serious dangerous infections were found in any of them; some were found to have other viral infections.
The WHO considers the risk to public health outside of Russia to be very low at present. However, the organization demanded that Russia provide information on the actual cause of the illness, test results, and data on other potentially ill employees.
Now, the US President Donald Trump has also drawn attention to this situation. He stated that he will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about this matter soon. Trump noted that America is conducting a 'very deep discussion' on this issue, and additional information may appear shortly.
A day earlier, Trump also offered assistance to Russia. He described plague as a serious disease, noting that pathogens that were once easy to control have become stronger and more cunning, comparing them to an 'army.'
Currently, a plague outbreak in Russia has not been confirmed, but the mysterious death of an employee of the Institute of Rabies Science, the monitoring of about 200 people, and constant requests for information from the WHO maintain global scrutiny of the situation.