An unsettling incident has arisen in southeastern Russia involving the passing of a 28-year-old woman due to pneumonia, raising concerns that she might have been exposed to pneumonic plague at her workplace laboratory.

The woman’s death occurred at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East. While Russian authorities have stated no current evidence links her illness to the pathogens at the institute, speculation was fueled by a neighboring region’s governor who initially suggested the woman died of plague in a Telegram post, later amending his statement to include uncertainty.

Following the woman’s death, individuals at the hospital where she was treated have been quarantined, and those in contact with her are under medical observation, as indicated by Anna Popova from Russia’s public health agency.

Questions have emerged regarding the transparency of Russian authorities in this matter, with many taken aback by the idea of someone succumbing to an illness associated with the Middle Ages that people may not realize still exists.

Reports from Russian media identified the deceased as Darya Shipilova, a laboratory technician at the institute conducting research on plague control, vaccine development, and epidemic prevention. Shipilova sought medical care in Shelekhov, about 20 kilometers from Irkutsk, before her demise.

Pneumonic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is a highly contagious form of plague affecting the lungs and capable of human-to-human transmission through airborne droplets. The disease, treatable with antibiotics, can be fatal if not promptly addressed.

While fears of a potential outbreak are being addressed by Russian officials, some countries like Kazakhstan are taking precautionary measures at border crossings. The World Health Organization is collaborating with Russian health authorities and offering support if required.

Both U.S. President Donald Trump and Health Canada have expressed readiness to assist. Health Canada, however, states that there is currently no risk of plague in Canada, with the last recorded human case dating back to 1939.