Regina Laska wrote that Darja Schipilowa completed her specialist training in clinical laboratory diagnostics with distinction two years ago and worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute. She died after being hospitalized four days following an alleged incident; she passed away on the night of October 2. Laska referred to reports from the portal "Ljudi Baikala," stating that several hospitals, including a children's clinic, had been under quarantine for three weeks. Nearly 200 contacts were being monitored, the aluminum plant in Shelekhov required masks, and Russia's chief epidemiologist had been flown in. Rospotrebnadzor ruled out a laboratory accident and spoke of an unknown cause of pneumonia as well as a stable situation. No pathogens associated with her work were reportedly found in the deceased's body. Laska wrote that the governor of Buryatia initially claimed Schipilowa died of the plague, but later moderated his statement. A city administration advised against trips to Shelekhov and subsequently deleted the post; a television station removed five contributions. Russian exile media reported that Schipilowa told medical staff that a test tube containing plague pathogens had broken on September 25. Laska emphasized that this had not been confirmed; other circulating explanations included a business trip to Buryatia and a trip to Thailand. A Russian epidemiologist living in the U.S. doubted the laboratory accident, as protective clothing is used when working with plague. It is publicly unknown whether and what equipment Schipilowa had worn. Laska wrote that there is no sufficient evidence to describe the case as a possible use of a biological weapon; however, an accident involving a lethal pathogen cannot be ruled out. She questioned whether Schipilowa had received timely treatment or if antibiotics had not worked, noting that time is critical in cases of pneumonic plague. The actions of the authorities reminded her of previous cases where Soviet authorities withheld or misrepresented unpleasant information: the anthrax outbreak in Sverdlovsk in 1979 and the delayed announcement of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. Whether the Schipilowa case is comparable to these remains to be seen, she wrote. Laska warned that a potential outbreak should not be obscured by political sympathies or downplaying information. In the event of a possible pneumonic plague outbreak, openness for epidemiological reasons is crucial, she wrote. The public must know why nearly 200 people are being monitored and why several clinics are reportedly under quarantine according to "Ljudi Baikala." #Russland #Epidemie #Gesundheit (translated)
