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The World Health Organization (WHO) says Russian authorities told it that no cases of plague had been detected among anyone who had come into contact with a Siberian plague institute laboratory worker who died last week.
In a statement to CBC News, the WHO said Russia had informed the agency on Tuesday that the woman’s illness appeared to be a “typical acute respiratory viral infection,” but that “no case of plague has been recorded in Irkutsk, either in her or in anyone else.”
Authorities in Irkutsk previously said the 28-year-old woman, identified in Russian media as Darya Shipilova, died on Friday from pneumonia of an as-yet unestablished origin, leading to speculation she had been infected with pneumonic plague — a virulent form of the bacteria-borne illness.
Shipilova was reported to be a technician at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and Far East.
The WHO said it had requested further information from Russian authorities about which pneumonia-causing pathogen is believed to have led to the woman’s death.
Rospotrebnadzor, the Russian government’s public health and consumer watchdog, also said in a statement that no infectious diseases had been reported among the staff of the same plague research institute in Irkutsk over the past 10 days and that extensive testing had found no microorganisms in the deceased woman’s body linked to her work.
“A comprehensive set of anti-epidemic measures was immediately organized and implemented in full in accordance with public health legislation,” the watchdog said.
“This included identifying the widest possible circle of individuals who had been in contact with the patient and arranging for them to be placed under medical observation in hospital with daily laboratory tests.”
It said the results had revealed two cases of COVID-19 and two cases of rhinovirus infection, but that no pathogens causing other infectious diseases had been detected.
“None of the contacts showed any changes in their state of health associated with infectious disease.”
Locals not phased by plague rumours
Elena Sofina, deputy head of the Shelekhov district near Irkutsk, where a local hospital was placed under quarantine, said what she called a “dangerous diagnosis” had not been confirmed.
She added that 60 per cent of those placed under quarantine as a precaution had already been released. Local media said around 200 people had previously been quarantined.
Locals in the town said their lives had barely been disrupted, although they said some people in shops had initially worn surgical face masks as a precaution.
A resident who gave her name only as Anna said the situation was calm and that people had been prepared for restrictions to be introduced, but that life had gone on pretty much as usual.
“Everyone had face masks at home and wore them for no more than 24 hours,” she told Reuters.
Denis, another resident, said news of the lab worker’s death had been widely discussed in the town and that the local hospital had temporarily stopped doing diagnostic tests but had since resumed normal business.
A May 2025 satellite image shows the Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia and the Far East in Irkutsk, Russia, where 28-year-old Darya Shipilova before her death last week. According to Russian officials, Shiplova died from pneumonia of an as-yet unestablished origin, prompting authorities to quarantine about 200 people and causing public health fears on social media. (Google/Airbus/Handout/Reuters)
Kremlin thanks Trump for offer to help
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed appreciation for an offer of help on Monday from Trump, although without making clear if Moscow planned to accept it.
“It’s always good when mutual assistance is offered,” Peskov told reporters.
Trump on Monday described the situation as a “big problem for Russia.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday it was incumbent on Moscow to share more information.
Health Canada told CBC News it is also monitoring the situation, though it sees no risk to Canada at this time.
Two-hundred people have been placed under medical observation in Siberia, Russia, after a laboratory worker died after a reported accident at a plague research facility. The World Health Organization says the public health risk remains low.
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