Around 200 people are now in isolation.

By Antonio Scancariello, News Reporter

Hundreds of people are currently under medical observation after a laboratory worker died from an “unspecified form of plague” in Russia.

Health authorities in Siberia’s Irkutsk region said nearly 200 people are under medical observation, according to media reports and a statement by a regional leader on Friday. The Moscow Times said that Alexei Tsydenov, head of the neighbouring republic of Buryatia, confirmed that the woman had died from an unspecified form of plague.

Tsydenov, however, said “there are no plague outbreaks in the republic, including in areas bordering Mongolia”. Russian media outlets have identified the woman as Daria Sh., a 27- or 28-year-old employee of the Irkutsk anti-plague institute.

Reports said that the woman told medical staff that she had accidentally broken a test tube containing live bacteria while collecting samples for testing. She was hospitalised on Tuesday with symptoms of severe pneumonia. She was then placed on a ventilator and died on Thursday, according to the reports

The Shelekhov district hospital was placed under quarantine. The Moscow Times also reported that at least 197 people were isolating. Public events have been cancelled in Irkutsk, and an investigation was launched, the newspaper also said.

The governor for the Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev, said: “All identified contact persons have been placed under medical observation. As of today, the contacts show no signs of illness, and their laboratory test results are negative.”

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2254132/panic-russia-outbreak-black-death