A woman has died in Russia after severe pneumonia / Nearly 200 people isolated in suspected case of pneumonic plague

A 28-year-old woman died on Thursday in Russia’s Irkutsk region after developing severe pneumonia, while nearly 200 people who reportedly came into contact with her were isolated or placed under medical observation. The case led to quarantine measures being imposed and public events being canceled.

Local media identified the victim as Daria Chipilova, a laboratory technician at the Irkutsk Institute for Plague Control. According to some Russian publications, the woman may have been infected after a test tube broke in the laboratory, but the information has not been officially confirmed.

The woman was hospitalized on Tuesday in the city of Shelekhov, and her condition rapidly deteriorated. Doctors placed her on a ventilator, but she died on Thursday. Russian media reported that it may have been pneumonic plague, a severe form of the disease that can be transmitted through respiratory particles. The World Health Organization warns that the disease can be fatal without rapid treatment.

The hospital in Shelekhov was placed under quarantine, and contacts are being monitored. The governor of the Irkutsk region announced that they have no symptoms and that the available tests are negative. Authorities urged the public to remain calm and opened an investigation into compliance with health and safety regulations. The information has not been independently verified, and Russia’s Health Ministry has not provided a detailed confirmation.