The death of a 28-year-old woman who worked at an anti-plague laboratory in Russia has prompted US health officials to monitor a suspected case of pneumonic plague, while anxious reactions online have included comparisons with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Darya Shipilova died on 2 October after developing severe pneumonia, with Russian authorities describing the illness as pneumonia of 'unknown aetiology'. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was closely monitoring reports of a suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia's Irkutsk region, stressing that the circumstances remain unconfirmed. The agency said there was 'no indication of a broader threat to the United States.'
