Russian plague’ fears spread across Chinese social media, residents urged to stockpile food

Residents across China are reportedly stockpiling food and supplies over online fears that a suspected “Russian plague” outbreak could trigger Covid-style lockdowns, Daily Star reports.

Chinese news channel FTV said people have been scrambling for “rice, sugar, eggs, canned food and other daily necessities” following social media speculation.

The concerns follow the October 2 death of Darya Shipilova, 28, a lab worker at a Russian anti-plague institute, which prompted a quarantine response involving at least 200 people. Officials in Irkutsk deny she died of plague, saying the cause was “pneumonia.”

The World Health Organisation, which is investigating, said it has found no “evidence of ongoing transmission associated with this event” but warned that “a laboratory-associated exposure” “cannot be fully excluded at this stage.”

Writing on X, Yanzhong Huang said: “Posts on Chinese social media have urged residents . . . to stockpile food and protective supplies, with some warning of possible future lockdowns.”

Claims that Shipilova contracted plague remain unconfirmed.