A serious breach of biosecurity protocols has led to hundreds of live viruses going missing from a laboratory in Australia. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls announced today that 323 samples of live viruses, including deadly Hendra virus and Lyssavirus, went unaccounted for in 2021.
The breach was discovered in August 2023, with nearly 100 vials containing Hendra virus, which has a 57 percent fatality rate in humans. Hantavirus, carried by rodents, can cause severe illness, while Lyssavirus is similar to rabies and also has a high mortality rate.
While the lab has not found evidence of theft or weaponization, the breach raises concerns about how the viruses were lost. A freezer that stored the samples broke down, causing the materials to be transferred without proper paperwork.
According to Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard, there is no risk to the community as the viruses would have degraded quickly and become harmless outside a low-temperature freezer. An investigation has been initiated to find out how the breach occurred and to prevent it from happening again.
The incident highlights the importance of biosecurity protocols in laboratories handling infectious materials. Experts agree that viruses rely on being in a host for survival, making them unlikely to survive outside of a controlled environment.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/deadly-virus-missing-laboratory-australia-hantavirus-lyssavirus-hendravirus-1997610