MOSCOW – Russian media have reported the death of a second person with pneumonia of unknown origin in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, amid international concern generated by the death of a worker at an institute specializing in infectious diseases.
The reports have fueled speculation about a possible
pneumonic plague, although there is no official confirmation that either of the
two people died from the plague.
The first case was Daria Shipilova, 28, an employee of the
Irkutsk Plague Research Institute, who died in early October. Russian health
authorities attributed her death to pneumonia of undetermined etiology and
stated that tests did not detect any dangerous pathogens related to her work.
The Kremlin rejected reports of a second confirmed case of
plague. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that much of what has been
published in the media regarding the situation is false information and urged
people to rely solely on statements from Rospotrebnadzor, the Russian health
agency.
Authorities have placed individuals who had contact with the
first deceased person under surveillance and have implemented preventative
measures in the area. For now, reports of a supposed “second plague death”
should be considered unconfirmed.
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