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2026-10-06 23:24:05Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

The death of a 28-year-old Russian laboratory assistant in Shelekhov, in the Irkutsk region, has sparked concerns about a possible case of pneumonic plague and fueled fears of a new infectious outbreak in Siberia.

Russian authorities have imposed control and quarantine measures, while officially insisting that the epidemiological situation is stable.

Daria Shipilova, an employee of the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Irkutsk, died on the night between October 1 and 2 in the intensive care unit of the Shelekhov hospital.

According to local media and independent sources, she is suspected of accidentally breaking a test tube containing the Yersinia pestis bacterium on September 25th while working with live biological material.

Two days later, her health condition deteriorated rapidly. Initially, doctors suspected a severe form of COVID-19, as they had no information about the laboratory incident.

Due to the sudden deterioration, tests were conducted for particularly dangerous infections. Shipilova was placed on mechanical ventilation, but she could not survive.

Pneumonic plague can progress very quickly and without immediate treatment with specific antibiotics, it is a disease with a very high mortality rate.

After her death, about 200 people were placed under strict medical supervision. Several health facilities in Irkutsk were isolated for three weeks, while an aluminum plant in Shelekhov made it mandatory to wear masks as a preventive measure.

Residents reported seeing people in protective suits, masks and gloves on the streets, while masks were also distributed in some kindergartens. The rapid response of the authorities added to the concern.

The director of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, urgently went to the Shelekhov hospital and attended an extraordinary meeting of the regional anti-epidemic commission.

In the first hours, officials avoided using the word "plague" directly, speaking of a "particularly dangerous infection" and assuring that the situation was under control.

The lack of clear information further fueled speculation on social media. Baikalsk authorities urged residents not to travel to Shelekhov due to the plague, but the announcement was deleted a few hours later.

Even the head of Buryatia, Aleksei Tsidenov, initially linked the death to the plague, before the official wording became more cautious.

Russian epidemiologist Gennady Onishchenko tried to calm public opinion, arguing that in early October the main carriers of the plague, rodents and fleas, in Siberia were already in hibernation.

However, the statement was not enough to dispel concerns. On Sunday, Rospotrebnadzor stated that the health and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region, including Irkutsk and Shelekhov, was stable.

According to the institution, Shipilova had died of “pneumonia of undetermined etiology.” In-depth analyses of the samples, according to the authorities, had not revealed microorganisms related to her professional activity.

Rospotrebnadzor also said that no incidents had been recorded at the anti-plague institute while working with pathogenic microorganisms and that, over the past ten days, no employee had sought medical help for infectious diseases.

Thus, while Russian authorities officially deny the existence of an outbreak of pneumonic plague, the measures taken after the death of the laboratory assistant and the contradictory information have kept concerns alive in Siberia.

The Black Death, which struck Europe and parts of Asia, North Africa and the Middle East in the 14th century, remains one of the greatest demographic catastrophes in human history.

The pandemic, caused mainly by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is believed to have killed tens of millions of people in Europe alone, wiping out a significant portion of the population in some areas.

Entire cities were halved or emptied, the economy and trade were severely shaken, while the labor shortage changed social and economic relations for decades.

The fear of the disease was so great that entire communities were isolated, while the demographic, economic, and psychological consequences of the pandemic continued for generations.

The experience of the Black Death in the 14th century also brings to mind the COVID-19 pandemic, which shocked the world in 2020-2021, causing millions of victims and paralyzing economic and social life for a long period.

Although separated by about seven centuries and radically different in terms of spread, mortality rates, and treatment options, both pandemics demonstrated how vulnerable societies remain in the face of infectious diseases.


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