MOSCOW: A Russian laboratory researcher has died from an unknown infection following a reported laboratory accident in Siberia, with authorities investigating the possibility of plague, CNN reported.
The incident was reported at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov, a city in Russia’s Irkutsk region. The institute specialises in research into infectious diseases, according to Russian state media TASS.
Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s consumer protection and public health watchdog, said the researcher had been diagnosed with pneumonia of “unknown” origin. The agency cited a person working at the laboratory.
Authorities Take Precautionary Measures
Authorities in nearby cities placed maternity hospitals under quarantine as a precaution.
Employees at a nearby aluminium plant and laboratory staff were also advised to wear face masks.
Despite the measures, authorities said the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Irkutsk and Shelekhov remained “stable”.
Officials also said there was no confirmed plague outbreak.
However, the head of the neighbouring Republic of Buryatia said a 28-year-old employee had earlier died “possibly from plague”.
The governor subsequently called an extraordinary meeting of the regional anti-epidemic commission and urged residents to remain calm.
Contacts Tested for Infection
Irkutsk Aluminium Plant Director Artem Fominikh said authorities were checking people who had been in close contact with the deceased researcher.
According to Fominikh, none of the identified contacts had shown signs of the disease. Laboratory tests also returned negative results.
Unofficial reports from independent regional outlet Liudi Baikala said nearly 200 people had been placed under observation at the Shelekhov hospital where the laboratory technician was treated.
Former Rospotrebnadzor head Gennady Onishchenko said an outbreak of plague was unlikely.
He added that even if plague were confirmed, he did not expect the disease to spread.
The US State Department said it was aware of reports of pneumonic plague in Russia and was monitoring the situation closely. It also urged Russian authorities to provide accurate information about the incident, CNN reported.
