Seoul pharma and diagnostics stocks jump on report of Russian plague lab researcher’s death
In short
A researcher at a plague research institute in Irkutsk, Russia, died on Oct 2 after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia on Sept 29, and Russian media reports of a broken pathogen vial raised the possibility of plague infection, though it is not officially confirmed. The WHO said on Oct 6 the incident poses low public health risk. In Seoul, mask and diagnostics-related stocks rose sharply, with International Pharmaceutical hitting its daily upper limit at 4,430 won, up 29.9%.
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A researcher at a plague control research institute in Irkutsk, Russia, died after being hospitalised with severe pneumonia, according to Russian state TASS and other reports cited by Seoul Economic Daily. The researcher, Darya Shipilova, was admitted to Shelekhov hospital on Sept 29 with severe pneumonia symptoms and died on Oct 2. The institute conducts research on dangerous infectious diseases including plague and cholera, and reports that a glass vial containing pathogens was broken during research led to suggestions that plague infection was possible. [ 3 ]
Her plague infection has not been officially confirmed. No group outbreak of plague has been reported in the nearby Buryatia region, and Russian authorities are investigating the circumstances of the accident and the type of pathogen involved, according to Seoul Economic Daily. The World Health Organization said on Oct 6 that the incident poses a low public health risk. [ 3 ]
In Seoul, the reports moved mask and diagnostics-related shares. Seoul Economic Daily reported that International Pharmaceutical was trading 29.9%, or 1,020 won, higher at 4,430 won, and that GCMS was up 21.9%, or 715 won, at 4,035 won. Korea Economic Daily reported International Pharmaceutical at its upper limit with pharmaceutical and diagnostics stocks strong, and Newsis reported the same early-session strength; a later Seoul Economic Daily report again described International Pharmaceutical at the upper limit with related stocks surging. International Pharmaceutical has run its own mask production line since the COVID-19 period, and GCMS developed COVID-19 antibody, molecular and antigen diagnostic kits, the paper said. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Seoul Economic Daily also carried analysts’ doubts about the market logic. While pneumonic plague can pass between people through droplets when a patient coughs, making masks helpful, more than 80% of plague infections are bubonic and are contracted through bites from fleas on infected rodents or by handling infected animals, so masks offer little protection, it said. It added that plague has few infection cases, so the diagnostic market is small and products are mostly used by public institutions, research labs and military or quarantine services, with diagnosis in South Korea carried out in public laboratories such as those of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and provincial health and environment research institutes. No plague-related prototype development by GCMS has been confirmed, it said. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The episode is a reminder that unexplained deaths at infectious-disease research facilities can trigger market speculation well beyond the country where they occur. The documents show the reaction in Seoul was concentrated in a small group of mask and diagnostics firms whose products are of limited relevance to plague, which analysts say limits the practical significance of the move.
Key facts
- Darya Shipilova, a researcher at the Irkutsk plague control research institute in Russia, was hospitalised with severe pneumonia on Sept 29 at Shelekhov hospital and died on Oct 2, according to Russian state TASS and other reports cited by Seoul Economic Daily. [ 3 ]
- Reports that a glass vial containing pathogens was broken during research raised the possibility of plague infection, but her plague infection has not been officially confirmed. [ 3 ]
- No group outbreak of plague has been reported in the nearby Buryatia region, and Russian authorities are investigating the circumstances and the type of pathogen. [ 3 ]
- The World Health Organization said on Oct 6 that the incident poses a low public health risk. [ 3 ]
- International Pharmaceutical rose 29.9%, or 1,020 won, to 4,430 won, a daily upper limit. [ 3 , 4 ]
- GCMS gained 21.9%, or 715 won, to 4,035 won. [ 3 ]
- International Pharmaceutical has run its own mask production line since the COVID-19 period, and GCMS developed COVID-19 antibody, molecular and antigen diagnostic kits. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the deceased researcher was infected with plague. Seoul Economic Daily states that her plague infection has not been officially confirmed; the possibility was raised by reports, not by an official finding.
- The exact cause of the accident and the type of pathogen involved. Seoul Economic Daily says Russian authorities are still investigating the circumstances and the pathogen type.
- Whether a broken vial of pathogens, as reported, was in fact involved. Seoul Economic Daily attributes this only to reports, without an official confirmation.
- Whether International Pharmaceutical will remain at its upper limit. The documents give only intraday prices at their respective publication times, with no closing figure.
- The World Health Organization said the incident poses a low public health risk, an official assessment. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Korea Economic Daily reports International Pharmaceutical at its upper limit and strength in pharmaceutical and diagnostics stocks. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reports pharmaceutical and diagnostics stocks strong in early trading on concern over the spread of plague in Russia. [ 2 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports International Pharmaceutical up 29.9% at 4,430 won and GCMS up 21.9% at 4,035 won, and details the Irkutsk researcher’s death and the WHO assessment. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reports International Pharmaceutical at its upper limit and related stocks surging. [ 4 ]