Missing virus vials: Australian officials investigate biosecurity breach

[JACK AYLMER]

INVESTIGATORS IN AUSTRALIA ARE LOOKING INTO HOW HUNDREDS OF POTENTIALLY DEADLY VIRUS SAMPLES DISAPPEARED FROM A LABORATORY IN A MAJOR BREACH OF BIOSECURITY PROTOCOL. 

THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT QUEENSLAND’S PUBLIC HEALTH VIROLOGY LABORATORY IN 2021, BUT NOW THE GOVERNMENT IS CALLING FOR THE INVESTIGATION TO PREVENT FUTURE INCIDENTS.. 

THE VIALS INCLUDED SAMPLES OF HENDRA VIRUS, LYSSAVIRUS AND HANTA VIRUS – AND WENT MISSING AFTER A FREEZER STORING THE VIALS BROKE DOWN. 

THE BREACH OF PROTOCOL WAS FINALLY UNCOVERED IN AUGUST 20-23 … AND IT’S NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE MATERIALS WERE DESTROYED UPON BEING REMOVED.  

OFFICIALS SAY THERE WAS A MISTAKE IN RECORD KEEPING. 

EVEN THOUGH THE VIALS ARE STILL MISSING, HEALTH MINISTER TIM NICHOLLS SAYS THERE’S NO RISK TO THE PUBLIC. 

I want to stress that there have been no public health incidents linked to these materials … so we have no evidence so far of any event occurring as a result of the loss or destruction of these materials. 

NICHOLLS SAYS THE INVESTIGATION WILL LOOK INTO INTERNAL POLICIES AND GUIDELINES ON HOW VIRUS SAMPLES ARE KEPT IN THE LAB.

THE HENDRA VIRUS WHICH WAS PART OF THE BREACH, CAN SPREAD FROM ANIMALS TO PEOPLE … WITH ITS NATURAL HOSTS BEING FLYING FOX BATS.

IN 1994, THE VIRUS SWEPT THROUGH RACING STABLES, KILLING A TRAINER AND 13 HORSES WITH MORE THAN 60 KNOWN OUTBREAKS SINCE THEN. 

HANTAVIRUS IS ANOTHER DISEASE THAT CAN BE SPREAD FROM ANIMALS TO PEOPLE … BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTED CASES IN HUMANS IN AUSTRALIA. 

AND LYSSAVIRUS IS A DEADLY DISEASE SIMILAR TO THE RABIES VIRUS.

NICHOLS SAYS MAKING SURE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE SOONER OF INSTANCES LIKE THESE IN THE FUTURE WILL BE PART OF THE REVIEW.

FOR SAN – I’M JACK AYLMER.

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