Russia says post-mortem tests did not detect plague in reported Siberian death

Russian officials on Monday played down reports that plague had killed a 28-year-old woman in Siberia. They stressed that post-mortem tests had not detected the disease. This is according to France 24 and the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The reports, published on Friday, named the woman as Darya Shipilova. They said she had been working for the anti-plague institute in Siberia's Irkutsk region. The reports caused alarm.

Washington said it was closely monitoring the situation, according to both outlets.

France 24 quoted Russian officials as describing a "situation under control". The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not name the officials or bodies that made the statements. They also do not describe in what form the statements were made. They do not identify which US agency or official commented.

According to SCMP, the Friday reports specified pneumonic plague as the form of the disease. SCMP also reported that the news outlet People of Baikal, citing unnamed sources close to the regional security services, said Shipilova may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube. The reports do not describe the evidence behind this account.

The France 24 and SCMP texts are almost word for word the same. France 24 credits its own reporter, August Hakansson. The SCMP text reviewed by Vocemundi does not name a news agency or reporter.

What is disputed

The central question is whether Shipilova died of plague. The Friday reports said plague killed her. People of Baikal, citing unnamed sources, said she may have contracted pneumonic plague. Russian officials said post-mortem tests did not detect plague.

The reports do not say who carried out the post-mortem tests, which tests were used, or what cause of death was found. They do not explicitly state whether Russian authorities confirmed Shipilova's death, the date of death, or her employment at the institute.

What each side says

• Russian officials: The situation is under control, and post-mortem tests did not detect plague.
• US government: It is closely monitoring the situation.
• People of Baikal, citing unnamed sources close to the regional security services: Shipilova may have contracted pneumonic plague from a broken test tube.

What the reports do not include

The reports do not include any statement from the anti-plague institute. They do not describe whether other people were exposed, tested, or placed under any public health measures.

Analysis

The case turns on two accounts that cannot yet be checked against each other: unnamed sources cited by a regional outlet, and an official denial without published test details. If Russian authorities release more information, such as who performed the tests and the cause of death, the dispute could narrow. If a laboratory exposure were established, it could raise questions about biosafety practices. If not, the episode may be seen mainly as an unverified report. Washington's stated monitoring signals international interest. However, the reports do not show any public health measures or additional cases.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.