Russia claims 5,000 tests find ‘no dangerous pathogen’ after Siberian lab worker death

CALGARY — Russian authorities say nearly 5,000 laboratory tests conducted following the mysterious death of a Siberian anti-plague researcher have found ''no dangerous pathogens,'' as Moscow pushes back against fears of a possible plague outbreak.Russia's federal public-health agency, Rospotrebnadzor, said Wednesday that extensive testing carried out following the death of 28-year-old Darya Shipilova had not detected dangerous infectious agents.The agency said there is no risk of an epidemic and that more than 90% of the roughly 200 people initially placed under quarantine or medical observation have now been released.The announcement marks one of Russia's strongest attempts yet to calm concerns surrounding Shipilova's death — but authorities have still not publicly established what killed her.Shipilova worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East, where researchers study dangerous infectious diseases including Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague. She became seriously ill before dying after developing what Russian authorities have described as pneumonia of undetermined origin..Her death prompted Russian authorities to identify and monitor roughly 200 contacts, while sections of a hospital in the Irkutsk region were temporarily restricted.According to Reuters, more than 90% of the roughly 200 people initially placed under quarantine or medical observation have now been released, according to Russian authorities. Rospotrebnadzor said nearly 5,000 laboratory tests failed to detect any dangerous pathogens and that no health problems associated with infectious disease were identified among those monitored.The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday the organization has requested additional information from Russia to determine what happened.The WHO specifically wants clarification about the cause of Shipilova's severe pneumonia, the pathogen that prompted Russian authorities to introduce extensive public-health measures and reports concerning a second employee who developed pneumonia of undetermined cause."Timely, complete and transparent information-sharing in line with the International Health Regulations is critical," Tedros said.The WHO currently assesses the risk to the general public as low based on the information available but says that assessment could be updated as additional information emerges.Russian media reports Tuesday claimed another person had died at a hospital in the Irkutsk region after allegedly contracting plague.The person's identity, connection to Shipilova and cause of death have not been independently established, and Russian authorities have not confirmed a second plague death..While early speculation focused on a possible accident inside the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, friends and former colleagues of Darya Shipilova have reportedly pointed to a very different potential source: wild squirrels encountered during field research.Shipilova reportedly participated in expeditions studying natural plague reservoirs in the region around Buryatia and Mongolia, where Yersinia pestis — the bacterium responsible for plague — can circulate naturally among rodents and the fleas that live on them.According to The Sun, people familiar with Shipilova’s work believe her field research should be examined as a possible source of exposure and have questioned reports that she became infected after breaking a plague-containing test tube inside the laboratory.One theory reportedly centres on long-tailed ground squirrels, which can carry fleas capable of transmitting Yersinia pestis. Researchers studying natural plague reservoirs routinely monitor rodents and their parasites to determine where the bacterium is circulating.Friends and former colleagues have also reportedly challenged the alleged laboratory-accident scenario on practical grounds. They told The Sun that strict precautions were used when handling dangerous pathogens and disputed claims involving a shattered glass test tube, saying samples were instead handled in plastic containers..U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling on Russia to provide more information about the mysterious death of a worker at its Siberian plague research institute as international scrutiny of the incident grows.Speaking at a news conference in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Tuesday, Rubio said the United States was monitoring developments “very closely, hour by hour.”“I think it’s incumbent upon Russia to obviously share more information with the world,” Rubio said.Rubio said information coming from Moscow remained limited and urged Russian authorities to be more transparent about what happened at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute.“We encourage Russia to be more transparent and share more information with the world,” he said. The secretary of state also cautioned against drawing conclusions before more information becomes available.“Maybe there’s nothing there. Maybe it’s bigger than we thought. We don’t know,” Rubio said.President Donald Trump has also said he intends to discuss the situation directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump told reporters Tuesday he had a call with Putin scheduled "very soon" and said the United States was engaged in "very deep discussions" about the situation.The Kremlin has welcomed Trump's offer of American assistance, although Russian officials have maintained that the country's health authorities have the situation under control.Russia's latest testing results provide further evidence that officials have not detected wider transmission of plague or another dangerous pathogen among those tested..Russian authorities continue to insist there is no evidence of a plague outbreak. Rospotrebnadzor says no plague infections have been detected among Shipilova’s known contacts and that laboratory testing has not identified dangerous microorganisms linked to her work at the institute.Pneumonic plague affects the lungs and can spread from person to person through respiratory droplets during close contact. The disease can progress rapidly without treatment, although antibiotics can be effective when administered early.Despite the speculation surrounding the case, neither Shipilova’s death nor reports involving a second person have been officially linked to plague. The reported second death also remains unconfirmed by Russian health authorities or major international news organizations.Russian officials maintain that the epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk region is stable, pointing to thousands of tests that they say have found no dangerous pathogens and the release of more than 90% of those initially placed under quarantine or medical observation.Still, questions remain over what caused Shipilova’s fatal illness. While Moscow says testing has found no evidence of plague spreading among her contacts, the WHO is seeking additional information to clarify conflicting reports and determine what pathogen, if any, prompted the extensive public-health response.

Russia claims 5,000 tests find ‘no dangerous pathogen’ after Siberian lab worker death

Related Stories

Second person reportedly dies amid Siberian plague reports, Russia denies outbreak

Siberian plague lab worker dies from ‘unknown’ infection, triggers quarantine

Petition seeks to bar Ovechkin from Canada over support for Putin

BRULOTTE: Putin’s real target is NATO’s will to fight