Russia denies plague infection in death of Irkutsk research institute employee

Russian authorities have rejected media reports claiming that a laboratory employee in Siberia's Irkutsk region died after becoming infected with plague. Following expert testing, the pathogen behind the dangerous disease was reportedly not found.

On Friday, Russian media reported the death of a 28-year-old woman in the Irkutsk region who worked at an institute researching plague. The outlet "Lyudi Baikala", citing its sources, reported that the woman may have contracted pneumonic plague after a test tube broke in the laboratory.

Official explanation

Irkutsk region governor Igor Kobzev stated on Monday that expert examination did not confirm this version of events. The cause of death was determined to be "pneumonia of undetermined origin," and no microorganisms linked to her professional work were reportedly found in her biological samples.

Authorities say that since the woman's death, no other institute employee has sought medical help, and they state that the epidemiological situation in Irkutsk remains stable. The Kremlin has also urged the public to rely on official information from Russia's consumer health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, rather than versions circulating in the media.