Russian authorities say a laboratory worker in Siberia did not die from plague, according to DIE ZEIT. The death at a plague research facility in the region had earlier raised concern about a possible infection.
The denial followed reports that the employee's death was being investigated as a suspected plague case, DIE ZEIT reported. German broadcaster tagesschau.de also reported that Russia rejected the plague claim after the death at the research laboratory.
The case drew wider attention as several German outlets covered the initial alarm. BILD reported that five hospitals in Russia were closed amid plague fears following the laboratory worker's death. Deutsche Welle reported on the suspected pneumonic plague case and what is known about the pathogen that causes it. Pneumonic plague is a form of the disease that affects the lungs.
The reports circulated before Russian officials publicly stated that plague was not the cause of death. The material available does not specify the worker's name, age, the exact location of the facility, or the cause of death that authorities ultimately identified.
Questions that remain open include what did cause the worker's death and whether the hospital closures reported by BILD have been lifted. Further statements from Russian health authorities are expected to clarify those points.
