On Friday, 28‑year‑old Daria Shipilova collapsed at the Irkutsk Anti‑Plague Research Institute in Shelekhov and was later declared dead from pneumonia of an unknown origin. Her death sparked intense media scrutiny because the institute works with highly pathogenic bacteria.

Russia’s health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, issued a statement on Thursday denying any reports of a second person falling ill after Shipilova’s death. The regulator called the circulating claims “fake information” and said that checks on all of the deceased’s contacts revealed no health issues linked to an infectious disease.

Nearly 5,000 laboratory tests were performed on those contacts, and Rospotrebnadzor reported that no dangerous pathogenic microorganisms were detected. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization estimated the public risk of the case to be low, but warned that a fuller assessment was impossible without more data from Russian authorities. WHO also offered assistance and asked for verification of the media reports about a second case.

In the United States, CDC director Erica Schwartz said the risk to the U.S. was extremely low and that the agency was ready to monitor and screen travellers from the region. Health Canada echoed the sentiment, stating it sees no risk to Canada at this time.

The combined low‑risk messages from WHO, the CDC and Health Canada aim to reassure travellers, yet the Russian denial of a second case also fuels uncertainty, reminding the public that transparent data are essential for confidence.