Russia plague: what is known and what is not

The Moscow Times2h agoReporting

U.S. Embassy Urges Citizens to Leave Russia Over Siberian Plague Suspicions

The Moscow Times reported that the US embassy in Moscow issued a health alert over the death of a plague laboratory worker in the Irkutsk region and urged Americans to leave Russia. It reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Russia to share more information.

• The embassy advised US citizens to avoid affected facilities and seek care for fever or respiratory symptoms, the outlet reported.
• President Donald Trump said he planned to raise the matter in a call with President Vladimir Putin.

“U.S. citizens in the area should follow the guidance of local health authorities, avoid affected facilities, and seek medical care promptly if they develop fever or respiratory symptoms.”US Embassy in Moscow, statement, quoted by The Moscow Times

Read at The Moscow Times

TV Rain (Дождь)2h agoReporting

ВОЗ запросила у России информацию по поводу сообщений СМИ о втором заболевшем сотруднике иркутского противочумного института

TV Rain reported that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that WHO had requested additional information about the cause of the severe pneumonia, the pathogen behind the public-health measures, and media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined origin.

• Tedros said Russian health authorities had previously told WHO that no plague cases had recently been registered in Irkutsk Oblast.
• Tedros said the authorities reported that medical observation of contacts had been completed and no highly dangerous pathogens were found.

“The organization requested additional information to clarify the cause of Darya Shipilova's severe pneumonia, the pathogen behind the public-health measures, and media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined origin.”Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General (quote translated from Russian)

Read at TV Rain (Дождь)

Moldpres4h agoOfficial statement

Moldovan health minister says there is no risk of escalation, in connection with suspected case of pneumonic plague in Russia

Moldova's health minister Alexandru Gasnas said there was no risk of escalation in Moldova in connection with the suspected pneumonic plague case, telling reporters after a cabinet meeting that it concerned one death in an isolated area of Siberia and about 200 people in quarantine.

• The minister said the situation was being monitored.
• Moldpres reported that the case involved the pneumonic form of plague.

“It is the Irkutsk region, in Siberia, in an isolated area. We are talking about one death; it is the pneumonic form, and the other 200 people are in quarantine.”Alexandru Gasnas, Moldovan health minister

Read at Moldpres

NEWS.ru5h agoReporting

Информационная операция США? «Эпидемия чумы» в Иркутске, подробная хронология

NEWS.ru published a chronology of the Irkutsk episode under the heading "A US information operation?", reporting that Rospotrebnadzor rejected the possibility of a plague outbreak and that inspections of the closed institute's laboratories found no emergency situations.

• The outlet said it was examining who circulated the plague reports and asked why it saw US President Donald Trump as promoting them.
• It reported that Rospotrebnadzor denied any leak of the plague pathogen during experiments and described the region's sanitary situation as calm.

Read at NEWS.ru

Echo (ЭХО)9h agoReporting

Посольство США рекомендовало американцам покинуть Россию из-за предполагаемой вспышки чумы. Российские власти настаивают, что никакой чумы нет

Echo reported that the US State Department advised Americans against travel to Russia and urged US citizens in the country to leave immediately. It noted that the regional governor had reported no microorganisms linked to the laboratory assistant's work.

• Echo reported that epidemiologist Mikhail Favorov said on Bild na russkom that the negative test result did not definitively rule out plague.
• It reported his statement that in a suspected plague case, response measures are carried out as they would be for a confirmed case.

Read at Echo (ЭХО)

Meduza1d agoReporting

A 28-year-old plague researcher died in Russia. Authorities have imposed a quarantine but deny any threat of plague, and locals are struggling to make sense of it.

Meduza's English edition carried the People of Baikal investigation: Darya Shipilova, 28, died in Shelekhov outside Irkutsk overnight on 1-2 October. It reported that authorities isolated about 200 contacts, imposed quarantine restrictions at the hospital that treated her, and said plague was not the cause.

• Meduza reported that Shipilova had been admitted to hospital a couple of days before her death.
• People of Baikal travelled to Irkutsk and Shelekhov to report on how residents were reacting, Meduza said.

Read at Meduza

Meduza1d agoReporting

В Иркутской области умерла сотрудница противочумного института. Власти ввели карантин — но отрицают угрозу чумы. Репортаж «Людей Байкала» о том, как местные жители пытаются разобраться в происходящем

Meduza republished People of Baikal's investigation into the death of Darya Shipilova, 28, an employee of the Irkutsk anti-plague institute who died in Shelekhov overnight on 1-2 October. Authorities isolated about 200 contacts and introduced quarantine restrictions at the hospital where she had been treated.

• Meduza reported that the woman was 28-year-old Darya Shipilova of the Irkutsk anti-plague institute.
• About 200 people who had been in contact with her were isolated, Meduza reported.

Read at Meduza

Echo (ЭХО)1d agoReporting

Люди Байкала: «Что, правда, чума?!». Что происходит в Иркутске и Шелехове, где умерла сотрудница противочумного института, а власти отрицают чуму как возможный диагноз

Echo republished People of Baikal's reporting from Irkutsk and Shelekhov, where residents described a 2 October decontamination of an apartment building by people in protective suits who said Rospotrebnadzor had sent them. Officials continued to say the region had no plague.

• Residents told People of Baikal that crews in protective equipment disinfected two stairwells on the evening of 2 October.
• The outlet reported that quarantine-type restrictions remained in place at some institutions while officials said there was no plague.

Read at Echo (ЭХО)

UN Geneva Multimedia Newsroom (WHO)2d agoOfficial statement

Irkutsk suspected plague death - WHO

At the Geneva briefing WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said a woman who worked at a laboratory in Irkutsk Oblast had died and that authorities were examining whether pneumonic plague caused it. WHO said no cause of death had been officially confirmed and laboratory testing was under way.

• WHO said its internal monitoring system picked up media reports of the suspected death on 2 October.
• WHO contacted the Russian health authorities on 3 October under the International Health Regulations.

“A woman who worked at the laboratory in Irkutsk Oblast has died, and the authorities are looking into whether pneumonic plague caused her death.”Christian Lindmeier, WHO spokesperson

Read at UN Geneva Multimedia Newsroom (WHO)

MK Kuzbass (Московский Комсомолец)2d agoAnalysis

Чума в России: может ли она вырваться из лаборатории и стоит ли паниковать

MK Kuzbass published an explainer on the Irkutsk case, noting that Darya Shipilova worked with the plague pathogen and studied its sensitivity to antibiotics and that one version circulating held that she broke a tube containing the pathogen.

• The outlet reported quarantine in several hospitals and mask rules at a Shelekhov aluminium plant.
• It said about 200 contacts were placed under observation.

Read at MK Kuzbass (Московский Комсомолец)