Russian lab worker died of pneumonia of unknown cause at anti-plague institute in Siberia

A 28-year-old employee named Darya Shipilova at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East died on October 2, 2026, after being hospitalized with severe pneumonia. Russian authorities stated the cause was pneumonia of unknown etiology and found no microorganisms linked to her work, while unconfirmed media reports suggested pneumonic plague from a broken test tube. Approximately 200 contacts were quarantined, and WHO, the U.S. State Department, and other international bodies called on Russia for greater transparency.