On Thursday, October 15, in Zhukovsky, Moscow Region, an ambulance delivered five patients from a house on Gorky Street to the Ramenskoye Hospital. The reason for the emergency hospitalization was suspected monkeypox: according to the Russian Telegram channel SHOT, cited by RBC-Ukraine, all five had contact with a potential carrier of the disease, which reportedly took place back on October 10.
Five Patients in Zhukovsky
Among the hospitalized, according to the same data, are three men and two women aged 21 to 35. The condition of all five is assessed as moderate. At the same time, the publication emphasizes that the diagnosis of "monkeypox" is currently preliminary and has not been confirmed by laboratory tests. Information about the scale and nature of contacts is spread mainly via the Telegram channel, which requires cautious perception until official clarifications from regional authorities appear.
Context: The Plague Incident in Irkutsk
The new episode unfolds against the background of another incident that drew attention to biosafety issues in Russia at the end of September. According to available information, on September 25, a test tube with the causative agent of pneumonic plague broke at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute, which was reportedly dropped by 28-year-old employee Daria Shpilova. Already on September 29, she was hospitalized with pneumonia, and she died on October 2.
Diverging Assessments of the Incident
Assessments of the event in Irkutsk vary. Russian officials stated that tests for plague gave a negative result and the diagnosis was not confirmed. At the same time, media reported attempts to conceal the scale of the potential outbreak. Thus, the very fact of the broken test tube, subsequent hospitalization, and the death of the employee is recorded, while the question of the confirmation of the plague and the scale of the event remains a subject of contradictory statements.
Washington's Reaction
Against the background of the Irkutsk incident, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington is closely monitoring developments and that this issue is a cause for concern. US President Donald Trump, in turn, stated that Washington is ready to provide assistance to Russia. These statements indicate that the incident went beyond the domestic agenda and was noted at the level of diplomatic interaction.
What This Means Now
The combination of the two episodes—suspected monkeypox in the Moscow region and the plague incident in Irkutsk—brings the issues of control over dangerous infections and prompt reporting back to the forefront. At present, both lines of events remain in the stage of clarification: the diagnosis in Zhukovsky is preliminary, and regarding the Irkutsk case, official and media assessments diverge. Further dynamics will depend on the results of laboratory research and official reports from specialized agencies.
