Darya Shipilova, an employee at the anti-plague research institute in Irkutsk, died two days after falling ill with cold-like symptoms. Russian authorities have denied a connection with the institute and said Shipilova died from pneumonia of an unknown aetiology, insisting there is no danger of a plague outbreak and describing the sanitary and epidemiological situation as stable. However, officials have imposed sweeping quarantine restrictions at the lab where Shipilova worked and in nearby hospitals, with staff locked down inside the institute for three days.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday: "We don't yet have the full picture of this event and we're not able to conduct a full risk assessment. Timely, complete and transparent information sharing is essential to clarify conflicting reports and enable an accurate assessment of potential public risks." Tedros also said he wanted clarification following unconfirmed media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause. "We asked Russia to respond to that. We're waiting for an answer," he said.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's director of epidemic and pandemic management, said the agency still did not know how Shipilova became infected or with what viral disease. If pneumonic plague was ruled out, she asked, "what did she actually die from?"
Shipilova's mother, Svetlana, discounted theories that her daughter had been infected after smashing a test tube, telling local media: "A test tube is unbreakable, even if you throw it against the wall." Former classmates have also expressed scepticism, with one reportedly saying: "They've smeared a woman without properly investigating."
The Kremlin has downplayed the incident and brushed aside an offer of assistance from US President Donald Trump, while the White House has pressed Moscow for more details.