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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[–] CrimeIsLegalNow@ani.social 7 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/78544

"Accuse your enemies of that which you plan to do."

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 6 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

One of my personal "Rules of Life" is that people are most suspicious of behavior they are most likely to perform. Thieves always think people are stealing from them, cheaters always think someone is cheating on them, etc. They have to believe that, so they can keep performing the behavior, but blame it on others - you do it (even if they don't), so it's okay if I do it.

Trump lives by this code, he's always accusing people of stealing, cheating, etc., and then does it himself "in retaliation," when what he's really doing is just helping himself to whatever he wants.

[–] CrimeIsLegalNow@ani.social 2 points 8 hours ago

That or they're wary of things that have been done to them, but I don't recall Russia ever being targeted by a bioweapon.

[–] BlackLaZoR@lemmy.world 3 points 9 hours ago

virus

Others claimed it was bacteria. What a shit show

[–] selokichtli@lemmy.ml 4 points 11 hours ago

What a shit report, honestly. "It is said", "according to reports", "the Kyiv Independent reported", and my favorites "after breaking a test tube". Go notice, Lyudi Baikal "RadioFreeEurope", "RsdioLiberty". We are dicking doomed.

[–] YragNitram1956@feddit.uk 13 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

Plague is caused by a bacterium not a virus!

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 hours ago

That's a relief! It's a good thing that antibiotic resistance isn't a problem.

[–] Hawk@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 7 hours ago

Yeah but how will people compare it to COVID when you report it like that?

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 1 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

In Russia, who won't do a thing about it, and if they do, they'll botch it in typical Russian fashion. They are easily the dumbest superpower.

Learn to hold your breath for the next few years.

[–] IsoKiero@sopuli.xyz 13 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

They are easily the dumbest superpower.

I wouldn't say 'easily'. Competition is pretty tough in these days.

[–] NotAnOtter@lemmus.org 3 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Ironically Asian powers are the only ones that seem to know what they’re doing these days.

America & European leaders have lost their damn minds

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Authoritarianism works, as long as the authorities are competent. US & Europe are getting the worst of both worlds: authoritarianism without the competence.

[–] orioler25@lemmy.world 0 points 39 minutes ago* (last edited 38 minutes ago) (1 children)

got'a source on that at all?

[–] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 3 points 27 minutes ago

A source...on my opinion?

[–] INHALE_VEGETABLES@aussie.zone 3 points 14 hours ago

scans for the .ml posters

Huh that's craaaazy lol.

[–] GreenBean@lemmy.today 10 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

There are cases of Human plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, in the United States now.

[–] YouTalkinToMe@lemmy.world 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Sure, but they got Ivermectin

[–] Akasazh@lemmy.world 1 points 8 minutes ago

And I've a Mac10 it's a panacea of sorts too!

[–] wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works 13 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (2 children)

Actually, there always have been since introduction, especially in the american southwest. It was never eradicated here.

Source

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago

It's also extremely treatable in the 21st century

[–] Thor_Whale@lemmus.org 2 points 14 hours ago

You're not kidding. There's a small small cave in California over by Mammoth that people said if you go into it you will get sick and die because it's filled mice and plague.

[–] Allero@lemmy.today 52 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (12 children)

For all folks concerned of massive epidemic:

  • The people who contacted her after the incident are isolated, the hospital quarantined
  • Yes, there is a vaccine. People are not commonly vaccinated because plague is very rare nowadays, but they can be as needed.
  • It can be cured by antibiotics. Care needs to be prompt though, and that's what Daria very recklessly missed. Fatal mistake for someone who oopsied in a pathogen lab.

Also, to those concerned that this is a biological weapon lab:

  • This would be the most stupid and inefficient biological weapon. Again, we have the vaccine AND the cure.
  • Disease research institutes are a normal thing throughout the world. We need them to efficiently combat outbreaks should they ever reappear.
[–] skibidi@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Strange for someone working with that specific pathogen to not be innoculated prophylactically.

[–] Allero@lemmy.today 2 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Indeed. This is exactly the kind of high-risk environment for which people are typically vaccinated

[–] khaleer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 14 hours ago

looking at how people react in regards of vaccines, masks, and medical misinformation, I think even a common cold can be a successful bio-weapon

[–] kungen@feddit.nu 7 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, people seem to think the plague is extinct? There are yearly cases of plague in nearby Mongolia for example. It's also not usually as easy to spread compared to viruses like influensa. It's still a scary thing to think about, but nothing for us to worry about really...

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

yersinia pestis is a zoonotic disease, it never went away. its only the plague flea+black rat that was the problem in medieval times, i think it was combination of stray dogs+cats that helped it. its still in wild rodent populations.

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[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Is that lab owned by the Zontik (зонтик) Corporation?

[–] myyass@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago
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