Hospital in Irkutsk Region Closed for Quarantine After Patient's Death; Rumors of Plague Emerge

The situation related to the alleged contamination in a laboratory in Siberia has caused concern in Russia. Daria Shipilova, a 28-year-old researcher from the Irkutsk Institute of Rabies Science, died from severe pneumonia, after which observation measures were introduced for hundreds of people.

Officials have not yet confirmed a plague outbreak nor found signs of large-scale disease spread. According to reports, the woman was hospitalized on September 29th with severe pneumonia and connected to a ventilator, but she died two days later.

According to The Daily Mail, she told doctors that a test vial containing live bacteria had broken. The incident occurred during a field trip in Buryatia, near the border with Mongolia, after which she was taken to the Shelekhov hospital.

A search for contacts was promptly initiated. According to unofficial data cited by CNN and independent regional media, including Liudi Baikalu, about 200 people are under quarantine at the Shelekhov hospital. Quarantine measures are in effect at three hospitals in the region.

Governor Igor Kobzhev stated that all identified contacts are under medical observation, they show no symptoms, and their test results are negative. The director of an aluminum plant near the laboratory urged employees to wear masks, and the director himself called for avoiding rumors and disinformation.

Buryatia's head, Alexey Sidenov, noted that the death could be related to the plague, but there is no outbreak of this disease in the territory. Rospotrebnadzor has not confirmed the presence of the plague. Former agency head Gennady Onishchenko told Tass that it is most likely not the plague, and even if it is, its spread in cold weather is unlikely.

Since the institute studies and monitors dangerous infectious diseases, this case is sensitive. Russian epidemiologist Mikhail Favorov called the claim of a broken vial unlikely, as protective equipment is used in such places. He suggested that the public may never learn the whole truth, which led to accusations of information concealment. The anonymous Telegram channel Negaziger compared this situation to early debates about the origin of COVID-19, although these claims are not yet confirmed.

Russia's Chief Sanitary Doctor Anna Popova arrived from Moscow in Siberia. According to Kobzhev, she participated in an emergency regional meeting convened regarding a suspicious case of a highly dangerous infectious disease. The governor initially did not name the disease. Shelekhov Mayor Maxim Modin also urged people to trust only official information, emphasizing that it is premature to draw final conclusions.

The use of electronic cigarettes, known as vapes, is linked to changes in lung capacity, whose effects may be more severe than those caused by conventional cigarettes. Researchers from the Postgraduate Program in Health Technology (PPGTS) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) and the Integrated Colleges of Taquara (FACCAT-RS) published a study in the journal Fisioterapia em Movimento, scheduled for Friday (02), which points out that individuals who use vapes exhibit alterations consistent with initial manifestations of airflow obstruction, a pattern that, in the long term, can lead to conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

To compare lung function between electronic cigarette users, tobacco smokers, and non-smokers, scientists applied spirometry to 45 participants, aged between 18 and 40, distributed into three groups of 15 people. Spirometry assesses the volume of air expelled in the first second of forced expiration (FEV1) and the total volume of air exhaled during the test (TLC). These metrics, along with the FEV1/TLC ratio, are important indicators of lung health and can suggest airflow restriction.

The results obtained demonstrated greater damage to lung function in electronic cigarette users. These individuals exhale less air in the first second compared to non-smokers and, proportionally to the total exhaled, also less than tobacco smokers. This means that air is released, but more slowly, characterizing an initial sign of respiratory tract obstruction. Such findings question the popular belief that electronic cigarettes represent a safer option than traditional cigarettes.

Emmanuel Souza da Rocha, a researcher at PPGTS at PUCPR and co-author of the study, stated that the data reveal a pulmonary compromise that occurs subtly and early. He commented: 'Many young people start using electronic cigarettes believing they are making a harmless choice. Our findings show the opposite; even in a young and healthy group, vape users already show signs of pulmonary obstruction greater than those of common cigarette smokers. The lung was not made to receive this type of vapor.'

Furthermore, participants reported symptoms; most vape users mentioned a deterioration in health after starting to use the device, with coughing being the most common symptom. On average, these users were 21 years old and had been using electronic cigarettes for almost eight years.

These findings corroborate other research that has documented pulmonary changes in electronic cigarette consumers, reinforcing the urgency of scientific awareness, prevention, and oversight. The researcher concluded: 'Electronic cigarettes have been incorporated into the daily lives of many young people with the perception that their risks would be lower than those of conventional cigarettes. The absence of combustion smoke does not mean the absence of effects on the body. We still need to understand what the consequences of prolonged use are, but the available results justify that electronic cigarettes should be treated with caution and that their use should not be presented as risk-free.'

An elderly man, identified as Gilson Pereira da Silva, passed away after experiencing cardiopulmonary arrest while at the voting location. According to data provided by the Military Police, the man showed signs of ischemia in both his face and extremities, characterized by decreased or cessation of blood and oxygen supply to a specific body area, in addition to lacking respiratory movements.

Individuals with health knowledge provided first aid to the elderly man. Subsequently, Gilson was transported to the Santa Cruz Medical Center to receive specialized medical assistance.

Gilson's family informed TV Oeste, the affiliate of Rede Bahia in the region, that he had a history of heart disease and used a cardiac pacemaker.

In an official statement, the Municipal Chamber of Councilors of Cotegipe expressed its sorrow over Gilson's death and conveyed solidarity to all his family and friends.

The incident was handled by a team from the 84th Independent Company of the Military Police (CIPM), which formalized the case record as a death resulting from a heart attack in a voting area.