this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2026
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Darya Shipilova is said to have been exposed to the pathogen while working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia

Hundreds of people have been placed into quarantine in Siberia after a laboratory worker died of suspected plague, according to reports.

Darya Shipilova, an employee at the Anti-Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov, was exposed to the bacteria after she accidentally broke a test tube containing the pathogen while she was collecting samples, the Kyiv Independent reported.

She was hospitalised on 29 September with severe pneumonia of "unknown origin” and placed on a ventilator, but died shortly after.

Independent Russian outlet Lyudi Baikal reported that several hospitals in the city of Irkutsk had closed for a three-week quarantine.

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[–] Regrettable_incident@lemmy.world 16 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (2 children)

Anyone who wants something extra to feel anxious about should read the hot zone by Richard Preston. It's about Ebola, not plague, but it's. . . alarming. Ebola is a virus, not a bacteria like plague, but the difficulty of containment even in secure labs, and the possibilities of mutation - as far as I know, they're not dissimilar. Especially if a government lab has been fucking around trying to weaponise it, as I suspect happened here.

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 13 points 21 hours ago (5 children)

I will never understand the thought behind weaponizing diseases. They kill indiscriminately, even you, the developer or the president who orders it's release. Anybody who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 8 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I think the idea is to develop a vaccine or cure along with the disease so you can deploy that selectively.

Doesn't make the idea any better though.

[–] Egret@lemmus.org 6 points 18 hours ago

Especially because diseases obviously mutate and the cure may then be ineffective!

[–] Yuccagnocchiyaki@lemmy.world 6 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

This is why all of the interest in genetics and gene manipulation by the creepy rich, like Epstein and company, should freak people out into swift action

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 5 points 20 hours ago

I wish ppl understood this about nuclear weapons. Like ok so you want to attack that country over there.... what do you think 60 seconds to midnight means exactly?

Really any weapons. Start a war is literally fucking around and finding out. It all comes with blow back.

Everyone has the same choice to be assholes. It's not a super power. Just a choice.

[–] lka1988@sh.itjust.works 5 points 20 hours ago

Those who weaponize diseases don't think that far ahead. They don't care, because it hurts other people, and that's all they need to feel like they "won".

[–] BilSabab@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago

I will never understand the thought behind weaponizing diseases. They kill indiscriminately, even you, the developer or the president who orders it’s release. Anybody who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves.

"fuck them" mentality is the reason.

[–] Peaked@thelemmy.club 3 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

His book The Demon in the Freezer is also really good and about small pox.

[–] anarchy79@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago

Incidentally there are two facilities in the world that contain and research smallpox, one in Russia and one, of course, in the USA. The latter has previously had "incidents".