US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington is watching a suspected plague death at a Russian research institute in Siberia. He called it a matter for focus, not alarm.
Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old lab worker, died on October 2. Russian authorities have placed nearly 200 people under medical observation.
Rubio: “Not Cause for Alarm”
Rubio spoke on Monday before leaving for Europe. He said the US is tracking the risk of a containment failure.
“We’re watching and monitoring it closely,” he said. “I don’t think it’s cause for alarm, but it is cause for focus.”
He said Russian accounts suggest a lab worker became infected. There is concern the disease may have spread inside the facility.
Travel between the US and Russia is very limited, Rubio noted. Still, he warned that a disease that escapes can spread fast.
The US and the European Union say they are following reports from the region.
How the Worker Died
Shipilova fell ill at work. She died two days later at a regional hospital in Shelekhov, a town near the institute.
Officials have not said how she got sick. Russian media reports suggest she may have been infected in a lab accident.
The institute is an anti-plague research centre. It studies several infectious diseases, including plague. The bacterium Yersinia pestis causes plague.
Russian Officials Send Mixed Messages
Russian officials have not told one story. Alexey Tsydenov, head of the neighbouring Buryatia region, first wrote that Shipilova died of plague. He then edited his post to say she “possibly” died of the disease.
Rospotrebnadzor, the health watchdog, gave a different cause. It said she died of “pneumonia of unknown aetiology.” The agency said tests found no micro-organisms tied to her work. It described the situation in the area as stable.
Shelekhov mayor Maksim Modin said the hospital’s inpatient department, where she was treated, is now under quarantine. People who met her are under medical watch, according to The New York Times.
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said he held an emergency meeting with Russia’s chief sanitary physician. The topic was a suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection.
Officials have since tried to calm the public. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged people and the media to trust official information, not rumours.
What Is Pneumonic Plague?
Pneumonic plague is the most severe form of the disease. It spreads from person to person through respiratory particles.
The World Health Organisation says it can kill within 18 to 24 hours without treatment. However, antibiotics work very well if given early.
Experts See No Wider Outbreak
Experts say the case does not point to a larger outbreak for now. Ian Jones, a virologist at the University of Reading, said it looks like a rare lab accident. He considers further spread unlikely.
Human plague cases still occur in parts of the world. Doctors can usually treat them when they catch the infection early.
