A major historical breach of biosecurity protocols has occurred at a laboratory in Queensland, Australia, where hundreds of deadly virus samples have gone missing. The Queensland government has launched an investigation into the incident, which involves the loss of 323 vials of multiple infectious viruses, including Hendra virus, Lyssavirus, and Hantavirus.
The pathogens involved are highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death in humans and animals. While there is currently no evidence of risk to the community, experts warn that the situation could have led to an epidemic if not addressed promptly.
According to Dr. Sam Scarpino, director of AI and life sciences at Northeastern University, the missing samples pose a significant threat due to their high-consequence nature. The viruses can cause high fatality rates in humans and are highly contagious among animals.
Despite the low risk of transmission between humans, experts emphasize the need for transparency and accountability in pathogen biosecurity. “It’s unacceptable that it took over a year for news of the breach to be made public,” Scarpino said.
The investigation aims to examine regulatory compliance and staff conduct at the laboratory. The Queensland government has taken proactive measures to address the issue, including retraining staff on required regulations and conducting audits to ensure correct storage of materials.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/deadly-virus-samples-went-missing-lab-major-biosecurity-breach-say-authorities