# Fact check: Misleading claims spark plague fears in Russia

https://mins.news/en/item/87830

- DW, 2026-10-06 11:07 UTC
- Health
- Original: https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-misleading-claims-spark-plague-fears-in-russia/a-79560752?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

> The death of a laboratory worker at Russia’s Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute after severe pneumonia fueled online claims of a plague-virus accident, hundreds of infections and international spread. DW found no independent evidence of a pathogen leak. Russian health authorities said investigations found no biosafety accident, while tests detected no microorganisms tied to the worker’s professional activity. The WHO’s same-day update to its plague fact sheet was part of a broader publication cycle, with no evidence linking it to the case.

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