"They let her die." Daria Szypiłowa's mother blames the Russian authorities

On September 25, 28-year-old Daria Shipilova - an employee of a research institute in the Irkutsk Oblast - broke a test tube containing the pneumonic plague pathogen. According to Russian media, four days later the woman was admitted to hospital with symptoms of severe pneumonia. She died on the night of October 1-2. Russian authorities say she died of pneumonia of yet to be determined etiology.

The family is unable to bury the 28-year-old

Daria Shipilova's heartbroken mother, Svetlana, who is a doctor herself, accuses the sanitary authorities and doctors of not helping her daughter. I saved many patients, but they didn't save my daughter. They just let her die, the woman said in an interview with local media. As Svetlana Shipilova adds, the family must stay in quarantine, the conditions of which are very strict. He can't even bury Daria's body.

Svetlana Shipilova is angry that the authorities remained silent about her daughter for four days. So far, there is no official document stating the cause of the 28-year-old's death.

"This circus goes on forever"

"I'm waiting for it to become official. There must be an official document. It's very difficult for me now. This circus goes on and on," the woman says.

The woman also denies the allegations that Daria did not know how to operate laboratory equipment. Only a layman could say something like that, she said. It's just impossible for it to spill or break. These containers are very well secured, she emphasized. They destroyed my daughter - they abandoned her and destroyed her, she added.

200 people in quarantine, disinfection of the building

Despite assurances from government officials that the public was in no danger, Russian security services and health agencies immediately took extensive action.

Many medical centers were closed and almost 200 colleagues and contacts were ordered to quarantine. The state office responsible for sanitary issues, Rospotrebnadzor, reported that no cases of plague were detected among them, and 90 percent. people released from observation.

Residents of the building in Irkutsk where Daria lived reported that on October 2, crews in full biological protection suits arrived at the block at 10 p.m. The building was sprayed with disinfectants.

One of the workers sent by the sanitary regulator Rospotrebnadzor allegedly told the audience: "A girl died, it's a deadly virus."

Unrest in neighboring countries

The sudden death sparked international concern and increased security measures at the borders of neighboring countries.

Moscow sent the head of sanitary services, Anna Popova, directly to Siberia, and the World Health Organization formally demanded explanations. On Wednesday, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that she was "unable" to conduct a full threat assessment after Szypiłowa's death at this stage.

Maria Von Kerkhove, director of WHO's Epidemics and Pandemics Division, said that WHO did not know what "etiological factor" was behind the woman's death. That's why we need more information, she emphasized, quoted by the AP agency.

Trump hopes the situation is under control

In turn, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Russia is providing the Americans with "some" information about the alleged plague outbreak in Irkutsk. They give some (information) to our people. We expect them to give a lot to our people," Trump said.

Trump noted that the Russians say they have "everything under control" and suggested that they are "very smart," so he hopes the situation is under control.