Authorities in Queensland, Australia, have confirmed a significant breach of biosecurity protocols after hundreds of virus samples were found missing from a public health laboratory. Queensland Health has been instructed to investigate the incident, which is described as a serious lapse in safety procedures. An official statement from the Queensland government revealed that 323 vials containing dangerous viruses were missing. The missing virus includes Hendra virus, Lyssavirus, and Hantavirus, disappeared from the Queensland Public Health Virology Laboratory in August 2023. The Hendra virus, found only in Australia, is a zoonotic […]
323 Deadly Virus Samples Missing From Australian Lab
Authorities in Queensland, Australia, have confirmed a significant breach of biosecurity protocols after hundreds of virus samples were found missing from a public health laboratory. Queensland Health has been instructed to investigate the incident, which is described as a serious lapse in safety procedures.
An official statement from the Queensland government revealed that 323 vials containing dangerous viruses were missing. The missing virus includes Hendra virus, Lyssavirus, and Hantavirus, disappeared from the Queensland Public Health Virology Laboratory in August 2023.
The Hendra virus, found only in Australia, is a zoonotic virus that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Lyssavirus, a family of viruses that includes rabies, can be fatal without proper treatment. Hantavirus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), can also lead to severe illness or death.
The laboratory in question is responsible for diagnostic services. It also does research, and surveillance of various pathogens, including viruses spread by mosquitoes and ticks. However, it is still unclear whether the missing samples were stolen, destroyed, or simply lost. The Queensland government assures the public that there is “no evidence of risk to the community” at present.
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In response to the breach, Queensland Health has launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances of the incident and to prevent future occurrences. Queensland Health Minister Timothy Nicholls stated, “Given the severity of this biosecurity breach and the potential loss of infectious virus samples, Queensland Health must investigate how this happened and how to prevent it in the future.” He also noted that the investigation would review the laboratory’s policies, procedures, and staffs conduct.
Experts have expressed concern over the seriousness of the situation. Sam Scarpino, director of AI and life sciences at Northeastern University, US, described the incident as a “critical biosecurity lapse,” emphasizing that the missing pathogens could pose a serious threat to the public. He also noted that some strains of Hantavirus have fatality rates of up to 15%, significantly higher than COVID-19.
Despite the severity of these pathogens. Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr. John Gerrard, assured the public that there was no evidence of any immediate threat. Moreover he explained that the virus samples would “degrade very quickly outside a low-temperature freezer and become non-infectious.” Dr. Gerrard also pointed out that Queensland has not reported any human cases of Hendra or Lyssavirus in the last five years, and no confirmed Hantavirus infections have been recorded in Australia.