Plague case in Siberia: what we know and what we should know | In Focus Podcast

This month, a word that has not been in the news for decades perhaps, suddenly erupted: the death of a lab worker in Siberia, sparked concerns, rumours online and theories as to what really happened, given that official information coming out was limited. The worker, Darya Shiplova, who worked at a plague research institute in Siberia, is believed to have died of pneumonic plague. Russia subsequently quarantined dozens of people but said there was no risk of an epidemic, while a WHO official, meanwhile, called for the country to provide more information.But what is plague and why is it that is has been more or less forgotten? What was India’s tryst with plague in the 1890s and then again in Surat in 1994? How infectious is it and how is it treated? Is there really a risk of a plague breakout?Guest: Rajib Dasgupta: Head, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityHost: Zubeda HamidProducer: Jude WestonFor more episodes of In Focus: Published - October 16, 2026 07:08 pm IST