Bulgaria News
News of a suspected plague outbreak in Russia sent the internet into overdrive over the weekend, prompting comparisons to the early days of Covid-19, demands for travel restrictions and warnings that the U.S. should prepare for a potential biological threat.
The White House has said it is monitoring reports surrounding the death of 28-year-old laboratory worker Daria Shipilova, who Russian media said was exposed to a dangerous pathogen after breaking a test tube at an anti-plague research institute in Siberia on September 25.
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A Trump administration official said the White House “is aware, monitoring the outbreak, and assessing options.” In contrast, the State Department said it was following developments with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Russia has not confirmed that Shipilova died from plague, but nearly 200 people have reportedly been placed under medical observation following her death, with several medical facilities subject to quarantine measures.
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The uncertainty quickly spilled out online, sparking a whirlwind of panic.
Former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger called for sweeping restrictions on Russians entering the United States:
This is not a joke.
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The Russian biological war research should have us all concerned and stopping ALL flight from Russia, and all Russians from entry.
The longer this goes on the more countries we will have to stop flight from.
FYI: the Russians were working on a plague that… https://t.co/ALEKvSCS80
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— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini)
(@AdamKinzinger) October 5, 2026
FYI: Russia had been developing plague as a weapon during the Soviet years https://t.co/tymQ7bfsmx
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini)
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Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), a retired Air Force brigadier general, meanwhile pointed to past Russian allegations about U.S.-linked biological laboratories in Ukraine:
I remember hearing from anti-Ukraine voices about their so-called bio labs. It was Russian disinformation ops at their best. But in reality it is Russia with the bio labs. https://t.co/2sGLJePaaa
— Rep. Don Bacon
(@RepDonBacon) October 4, 2026
A “concerned” former White House Covid response coordinator, Ashish Jha, urged caution but said “Russian authorities owe the world more transparency on exactly what happened”:
Many of you have been tracking the Irkutsk lab situation over the last few days.
I’ve been gathering facts and trying to understand what is happening before weighing in.
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Now that I have, I have to say — I’m concerned
— Ashish K. Jha (@ashishkjha) October 5, 2026
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