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Nearly 200 people under observation after Irkutsk lab worker dies from plague

229 points · 208 comments · ericmay

  1. helsinkiandrew · · focus · HN ↗
    So breaks a test tube of live bacteria at an “anti-plague institute”, possible infects 100 colleagues, then when she developed plague like symptoms is taken to hospital and possibly infects 100 patients.

    I think they need to investigate their safety protocols

    > She reportedly told medical staff that she had accidentally broken a test tube containing live bacteria while collecting samples for testing.

    > At least 197 people who may have had contact with her were reportedly placed under medical isolation, including more than 100 in hospital wards.

    1. mkotlikov · · focus · HN ↗
      I don't think there is any actual evidence that it was a broken test tube because she would have started on prophylactic antibiotic treatment immediately.

      Luckily you need to be in close contact with someone already very sick to catch it. It's not silent transmission like COVID. But maybe there is something different about this outbreak?

      1. no-name-here · · focus · HN ↗
        > I don't think there is any actual evidence that it was a broken test tube

        What does this mean? The article we’re discussing says the woman who died told colleagues she broke a test tube.

        1. r721 · · focus · HN ↗
          >The article we’re discussing says the woman who died told colleagues she broke a test tube.

          The article links to a telegram post [1] as source, which links to another telegram post [2], which now has an update:

          >It is not known exactly how Darya Shipilova contracted the plague. Currently, the theory involving a broken test tube is the leading one, but there is no official confirmation or independent verification of this information.

          (Google-translated)

          [1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;t.me&#x2F;Govorit_NeMoskva&#x2F;70406" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;t.me&#x2F;Govorit_NeMoskva&#x2F;70406

          [2] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;t.me&#x2F;Baikal_People&#x2F;16629" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;t.me&#x2F;Baikal_People&#x2F;16629

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