Siberian lab death sparks quarantine as plague concerns rise

Health authorities in Siberia have quarantined dozens of residents after a laboratory researcher died from a suspected pneumonic plague infection.

Russian outlet People of Baikal reported that a broken test tube may have exposed the worker to the disease. Pneumonic plague is a severe infection. It can spread between people, though it occurs less frequently than bubonic plague.

The illness is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Between 1346 and 1353, the pathogen triggered the Black Death pandemic across Eurasia and North Africa. That historical outbreak killed an estimated 30-60 percent of Europe's population.

Officials have restricted movement in the affected area to limit exposure. The quarantine remains active while investigators examine the laboratory incident.