US authorities have asked Russia for further information regarding the death of a 28-year-old employee of the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Irkutsk, Siberia.
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Darya Shipilova died on October 2 after being hospitalized with pneumonia of unknown origin. The incident has raised international concerns because the institution where she worked studies dangerous pathogens, including the bacterium that causes plague.
Reports from the United States say Russian authorities have isolated around 200 people who had been in contact with Shipilova. The preventive measures have also included the institute where she worked and the hospital where she received treatment.
Some unconfirmed reports suggest that the researcher may have been exposed to the pathogen after a test tube broke in the laboratory. However, Russian authorities have not confirmed this version. Russia’s public health agency has announced that tests found no microorganisms linked to her professional activities.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for greater transparency from Moscow and said that the United States is closely monitoring developments.
President Donald Trump has said he intends to hold a phone call with Vladimir Putin to discuss the case. The World Health Organization estimates that the international risk remains very low at present, while there is still no official confirmation that this is a case of plague.
