A young laboratory technician has died from pneumonia of “unknown” origin, leading to the quarantine of 200 people, according to an October 6 CNN article.

The patient, only 28-years-old, worked at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia in Shelekhov, the authors reported. It is rumored that she was involved in an accident with a broken vial of a live plague sample right before she died. Several news organizations have reported on the matter including AP, NBC, BBC, CIDRAP, and CNN.

Key information from the articles mentioned:

• Local media outlets are calling the lab technician Darya Shipilova. This was confirmed by her mother.
• There is a possible second case of pneumonia of “unknown” origin.
• Rospotrebnadzor reported no crossover between Shipilova’s death and the diseases she was researching, calling the region’s “epidemiological situation” stable, despite previous concern over a “suspected case of a particularly dangerous infection affecting a resident of the region,” according to CNN’s report.
• The region where Shipilova worked is taking preventive measures, including closing and quarantining hospitals. Other nearby regions are also implementing safety measures.
• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is calling on Russia to share additional information regarding the circumstances surrounding Shipilova’s death. The US is surveying the situation.
• WHO is also calling for more information on the matter so Shipilova’s cause of death can be determined, including Shipilova’s lab test results, but says public health risk is low for now. Threat to the U.S. is also reported as low right now.
• President Trump offered help from the U.S. and will speak to Vladamir Putin on the matter.
• Pneumonic plague is very dangerous if contracted and requires early diagnosis and treatment.

Our sister publication, Healthcare Purchasing News, also reported on this. Read their coverage here.