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Following the death of a worker at a Russian laboratory, whose case was linked in reports to the pneumonic plague, social media users found disturbing coincidences with the book Biological War: A Scenario, by Annie Jacobsen, published on July 28, 2026.
Here we tell you what happened and what similarities users on social media found between the case in Russia and this non-fiction book.
What happened to Daria Chipilova, the Russian worker linked to a case of pneumonic plague?
Daria Chipilova, 28, was a technician at an anti-plague institute in Irkutsk, Siberia. According to reports, Chipilova allegedly contracted pneumonic plague in the laboratory after a test tube broke.
However, Russian authorities stated that her death was not related to the pneumonic plague and that, after an investigation, it was concluded that she died of "pneumonia of indeterminate etiology."
Furthermore, they claimed the situation is "under control," despite reports from other media that 200 people who had contact with the worker remained in quarantine.
What is Biological War: A Scenario, the book by Annie Jacobsen, about?
According to the official synopsis, Biological War: A Scenario narrates "a laboratory accident, a biological attack, a global pandemic, and the collapse of human society."
The work presents a guide to the hours, days, and weeks following the release of a biological agent.
The synopsis also highlights that Jacobsen wrote the plot based on "dozens of recent interviews with experts who hold high political, governmental, medical, and military positions."
PBS notes that in the book, Annie Jacobsen explores what would happen if the next major threat to national security were not a missile or a bomb, but a deliberately created pathogen.
What coincidences were found between the Russian case and Biological War: A Scenario?
According to Reddit user PrepperIntel, there are several coincidences between Daria Chipilova's case and Annie Jacobsen's book.
First, the disease mentioned is the same: the pneumonic plague. In the book, however, it is modified to be used as a biological weapon, so its spread is faster. Furthermore, it is a "chimera" weapon, as when it is fought with antibiotics, another equally deadly pathogen appears.
According to the comparison made by the user, in the book the agent is also accidentally released from a Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory located in Siberia, while the real case occurred in a BSL-3 laboratory.
Another similarity noted occurs with the response of the authorities. In the book, Russian officials assure the media that "there is no reason for alarm," while national government agencies intervene.
Jacobsen compares this situation to what happened in Chernobyl, when the government hid the severity of the accident.
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Who is Annie Jacobsen?
Annie Jacobsen is an investigative journalist who has written and produced for American programs such as Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan and Clarice.
In addition, she has published books that focus on wars, weapons, national security, and government secrets.
Her most recognized book is Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base, published in 2011.
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