Authorities in Russia have stated the health emergency is ‘over’ after 200 people were quarantined and 5,000 tests were issued following the death of Darya Shipilova
Russia has made a bombshell decision to lift its quarantine just a week after a lab worker allegedly died after becoming infected with the plague. Authorities have stated the health emergency is ‘over’ after almost 200 people were quarantined and 5,000 tests were issued following the death of Darya Shipilova.
The 28-year-old researcher – who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia – died on October 2 after developing what officials claimed was unexplained “pneumonia”.
Irkutsk Region governor, Igor Kobzev stated the situation in the Siberian region was stable after conducting thousands of laboratory tests.
Kobzev said: “Medical monitoring of all close contacts has also been completed. No health issues related to infectious diseases have been identified. […] The public health and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk and Shelekhov is stable.”
The woman’s death was reportedly due to her contacting the plague after she broke a test tube at work containing the live bacterium Yersinia pestis. However during his speech Kobzev did not refer to Darya by name – instead referring to her as “the infected” or just an “employee.”
He did not mention the grieving family or rumours that Darya was to be buried in a zinc coffin to prevent infection.
Speaking on her death – but not referring to her by name – Kobzev stated she “had been vaccinated and had immunity to the dangerous infections she worked with.”
He added these vaccinations included the plague. The regional governor added: “No accidents involving pathogenic microorganisms were identified at the institute.”
He said: “Amid information pressure, specialists thoroughly investigated the situation. It was a test. But we came through it with dignity.”
It comes as rumours swirl online that a second person may have died from the plague after coming in contact with the lab worker.
Local media allegedly reported the death before the articles were taken down as the Kremlin urged the public to trust “official statements” only. The second death was reported to have occurred at an Irkutsk district hospital.
However Russia’s consumer welfare ministry has denied any new cases and says the information online is “fake”, according to news agency TASS.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, Black Death symptoms can include fever, headache, weakness and rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain and coughing. Patients will also often cough up bloody or watery mucus.
Unlike the more common bubonic form of plague, pneumonic plague can spread directly between humans through infectious respiratory particles, normally requiring close and prolonged contact.