In 2026, an outbreak of the pneumonic plague was discovered in the Russian region of Siberia, which reportedly caused the death of a 28-year old Russian woman named Darya Shipilova.
Timeline The disease was reportedly detected in when a 28-year-old female lab worker at a plague research institute in Siberia's Irkutsk region fell ill and died two days later, reportedly by contracting the plague via broken test tube. As of 7 October 2026, 200 people have been quarantined.
Reactions The US State Department announced it is monitoring the situation and has requested the Russian government to give further information on the outbreak. President Donald Trump has offered assistance, stating that he will be discussing the incident in meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The World Health Organization have assessed the outbreak as "moderate to low" risk.
Russian authorities have officially denied the existence of a plague outbreak, and have been accused of downplaying and covering up the plague.
Symptoms According to CDC, the disease causes fever and swollen lymph nodes.
Research As of 7 October 2026, the research is ongoing and the plague has not yet been formally named. It is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis.
See also
Coronavirus Hantavirus
References