tl;dr: A 27-year-old researcher at Irkutsk's anti-plague institute died from suspected pneumonic plague after reportedly breaking a test tube containing live bacteria while handling samples. Nearly 200 potential contacts have been placed under medical observation, with over 100 hospitalized, and the Shelekhov district hospital is under quarantine. Russian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into possible health safety violations, though officials say no contacts have shown symptoms so far.