Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 07:14pm on 05 Oct 2026,Monday International
Russia is facing fears of a possible plague outbreak after a laboratory worker died following an illness described by officials as “pneumonia of unknown aetiology.” Darya Shipilova, 28, worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute and became unwell during a field expedition in Buryatia, near Mongolia. She was hospitalised on September 29, placed on a ventilator and died two days later in Shelekhov. Several hospitals in Irkutsk reportedly restricted movement of staff and patients, while more than 60 of Shipilova’s colleagues remained inside the research institute. Russian authorities said there was no confirmed plague case and the situation was stable. Neighbouring countries were enhancing health checks, while the United States monitored developments. (PC: AP)
