THE RUMOURS that emerged sounded like the opening of a thriller(惊悚片；惊险小说). A young woman working in a Siberian research lab supposedly breaks a test tube containing a lethal plague pathogen(病原体). She is dead within 48 hours. Authorities race to contain the situation(争分夺秒控制局面). The questions outnumber the answers, breeding suggestions of conspiracy(滋生阴谋论的说法). The fears may prove unfounded(毫无根据的): there may not have been a leak at Russia’s Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute(伊尔库茨克抗鼠疫研究所). But the world can be forgiven for its panicked interest.
流传开来的传言听起来像一部惊悚片的开场。一名在西伯利亚研究实验室工作的年轻女子，据说打破了一支装有致命鼠疫病原体的试管。不到48小时，她就死了。当局争分夺秒地控制局面。问题多过答案，于是阴谋论的说法不胫而走。这些担忧也许最终被证明毫无根据：俄罗斯伊尔库茨克抗鼠疫研究所或许根本没有发生泄漏。但全世界对此表现出惊慌的关注，也是情有可原的。
Some facts are not under dispute(有争议的). Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old researcher at the institute, died at a regional hospital on October 2nd. Around 200 of Ms Shipilova’s contacts have been placed under medical observation, suggesting authorities believe she may have died of an infectious disease.(希皮洛娃约200名接触者已被置于医学观察之下，这表明当局认为她可能死于某种传染病。) But no cause of death has been officially confirmed, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Russia’s federal health watchdog(监管机构) claimed to have found “no evidence of microorganisms related to her professional activities”, and said the cause of death was “pneumonia of unknown etiology(病因学；病因)”.
有些事实并无争议。该研究所28岁的研究员达里娅·希皮洛娃于10月2日在一家地区医院去世。希皮洛娃约200名接触者已被置于医学观察之下，这表明当局认为她可能死于某种传染病。但据世界卫生组织（WHO）称，官方尚未确认死因。俄罗斯联邦卫生监督机构声称“未发现与她职业活动相关的微生物证据”，并称死因是“病因不明的肺炎”。
Beyond confirming the death(除了确认死亡之外) Russian officials have provided little information, though they are urgently implement(实施；执行)ing regional control measures. On Monday Marco Rubio, America’s secretary of state, said that his government is “watching and monitoring it closely”. With the covid pandemic still a recent memory, it is no wonder(难怪) the world has shown close interest. Inevitably, some have asked if the incident is connected to Russia’s biological warfare programme, which Western intelligence services say is still active.(不可避免地，有人问起这起事件是否与俄罗斯的生物战计划有关——西方情报机构称该计划仍在运作。)
除了确认死亡之外，俄罗斯官员几乎没有提供任何信息，尽管他们正在紧急实施地区管控措施。周一，美国国务卿马尔科·鲁比奥表示，美国政府正在“密切关注和监控此事”。新冠疫情仍记忆犹新，难怪全世界都表现出浓厚的兴趣。不可避免地，有人问起这起事件是否与俄罗斯的生物战计划有关——西方情报机构称该计划仍在运作。