Kathmandu. The outbreak of plague in Siberia, Russia, has raised concerns among medical experts.
Russian authorities have kept hundreds of people under surveillance and imposed quarantine measures in Siberian laboratories due to the possibility of infection. The move comes after 28-year-old researcher Darya Shipilova died of severe pneumonia in a plague laboratory. This indicates the presence of plague bacteria in the laboratory. This increases the risk of a possible plague outbreak in Russia.
Russian authorities have not confirmed that Shipilova’s death was due to the plague. However, several reports have claimed that the deceased woman was exposed to dangerous bacteria at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Irkutsk. Hospitals have tightened their precautions and authorities have intensified precautionary measures.
What happened in the lab?
The case has fueled speculation about what happened inside the lab and whether Russian authorities are fully transparent about it. Shipilova was hospitalized on September 29 with severe pneumonia. She was put on a ventilator but died two days later.
According to the Daily Mail, Shipilova was working at the Anti-Plague Institute in Irkutsk. She told medical staff that she had ruptured a test tube containing live bacteria. She later fell ill during a field expedition in neighboring Buryatia and was later admitted to Shelekhov Hospital.
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Russian authorities have taken swift steps to trace people who may have come into contact with the investigators. At least 200 people have been quarantined at the Shelekhov hospital where Shipilova is being treated. Quarantine measures have also been implemented at three other hospitals in the region.
According to officials, there is no evidence of widespread disease transmission so far. “All of the identified contacts are under medical observation and none of them have developed symptoms,” Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev said. “Their laboratory tests have come back negative.” Which suggests that there is no need for public concern at this time. ’
Questions around the death of the researcher{
The biggest question in this case is whether the disease was actually caused by the plague. Alexey Tsydenov, head of the neighboring Buryatia region, said, “The death of the woman seems to have been caused by the plague. However, there is no plague outbreak in Buryatia.” ’
The Irkutsk laboratory is an anti-plague research institute. It was established to study and monitor dangerous infectious diseases. Therefore, the news of the ruptured test tube has raised the question of whether the researcher could have been exposed to dangerous pathogens when he was handled.
What is pneumonic plague?
Pneumonic plague is one of the three forms of plague. It is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis. Bubonic plague is usually associated with infected fleas. In contrast, pneumonic plague affects the lungs and can spread to humans during respiration.
Symptoms may include fever, headache, weakness, shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough. In severe cases, patients may cough up blood or watery mucus. from Navbharat Times
