A suspected plague outbreak has erupted in Russia — killing a young lab worker, forcing nearly 200 people into isolation and triggering accusations that Vladimir Putin’s regime is trying to keep the infection’s possible spread under wraps.
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regime → suspect → wraps
The alarm was raised in Siberia after a worker at an anti-plague laboratory died of the disease, which killed tens of millions in the medieval Black Death, according to a report fromThe Moscow Times.
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which → raise → Times
Anna Popova, who heads Russia’s public-health watchdog, then rushed 2,600 miles from Moscow to the Irkutsk region as authorities quarantined a hospital and placed scores of people who had come into contact with the victim under medical observation.
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who → head → observation
“The situation in Shelekhov, Irkutsk region, where a plague quarantine has been declared, resembles the Wuhan case,” the Russian political insider channel Nezygar warned.
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channel → declare → case
COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China, before spreading worldwide and killing more than 7 million people, according to global health estimates.
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COVID-19 → emerge → estimates
So far, however, officials say none of the identified contacts has shown symptoms, and their test results have come back negative.
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results → say → symptoms
Daria Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory assistant at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute, was the first reported fatality.
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Shipilova → report → Institute
She reportedly told medical staff that she had accidentally broken a test tube containing live bacteria while collecting samples for testing, according to news outletLyudi Baikala, or People of Baikal.
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she → tell → Baikal
She first fell ill while on an expedition with other workers near Russia’s eastern border with Mongolia.
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She → fall → Mongolia
She was hospitalized in Shelekhov on Tuesday with symptoms of severe pneumonia, placed on a ventilator and died Thursday, according to reports.
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She → hospitalize → reports
Meanwhile, the regional Gov. Igor Kobzev declined to identify the illness, referring to it only as “a dangerous infectious disease” — and canceled all public events in the region.
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Kobzev → decline → region
Kobzev urged the public to remain calm after meeting with Popova to coordinate emergency containment measures.
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Kobzev → urge → measures
“All identified contact persons have been placed under medical observation.
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persons → identify → observation
As of today, the contacts show no signs of illness, and their laboratory test results are negative,” Kobzev wrote on the Telegram message app Friday.
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Kobzev → show → app
Reports also claimed that antibiotics had run out in the Irkutsk region, prompting frightened residents to seek medical help from pharmacies and other medical facilities.
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antibiotics → claim → pharmacies
Popova has not publicly commented on the reported outbreak.
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Popova → comment → outbreak
But senior Russian epidemiologist Mikhal Favorov disputed the account that a broken test tube caused the infection, calling it evidence of a possible cover-up, according to The Moscow Times.
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tube → dispute → Times
“It’s laughable,” said Favorov.
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Favorov → ’ → ?
“Someone working at the anti-plague Institute in Irkutsk wears a protective anti-plague suit.
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Someone → work → suit
If you break a test tub, the likelihood of infection is actually very low.
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likelihood → break → infection
In short, It doesn’t matter to the general public — they’ll believe the ‘dropped test tube story.'”
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they → matter → story
Favorov said Popova’s involvement suggested the situation was serious.
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situation → say → ?
“It’s absolutely hair-raising,” he said, adding, “We will not be told what really happened.”
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what → ’ → ?
Plague is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium.
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Plague → cause → bacterium
Symptoms can include fever, headache, chills, weakness, shortness of breath and coughing.
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Symptoms → include → breath
All forms can be treated with antibiotics, particularly when treatment begins early.
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treatment → treat → antibiotics
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