US and Europe monitor death at Russian Siberian plague lab
Officials in Russia, the United States, the European Commission and the WHO are monitoring conflicting reports about a worker's death at an anti-plague laboratory in Irkutsk last week.
Conflicting statements from Russian officials
Local media outlets in Irkutsk say the victim was a woman in her 20s. A regional governor initially posted that she died from the plague but later changed his statement to say it was possible. State media reported that health authorities diagnosed the woman with pneumonia of unknown origin.
Health agency denies lab accident
Rospotrebnadzor confirmed tests found no pathogens linked to the employee's work at the institute. The public health watchdog denied any laboratory accident occurred during her employment there. Federal authorities and regional politicians continue to provide different information about the cause of death.
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