Hundreds of containers with deadly viruses have disappeared in an Australian laboratory
The Department of Health in the Australian state of Queensland has launched an investigation after 323 vials of virus samples went missing from a local laboratory. As informs Newsweek, the incident was recorded in August 2023, and only now have the first details become known.
Among the missing samples were viruses with various clinical characteristics, including about 100 vials of the Hendra virus, which has a 57% fatality rate and is transmitted from horses to humans. Also missing were 223 samples of lissovirus and two vials of hantavirus, which can have serious medical consequences.
An investigation determined that the samples likely disappeared due to a malfunction in the freezing equipment. When moving materials to the new cooler, staff did not document all vials, which could have resulted in loss.
“Biological materials may have been removed from this secure repository, lost, or otherwise gone missing,” – said Tim Nicholls, Minister of Health of Queensland.
Authorities emphasize that there is no evidence of a deliberate abduction or attempts to create a biological weapon. In addition, samples outside of special storage conditions quickly degrade and become non-infectious, so the probability of infection is minimal. At the same time, experts emphasize the need for strict adherence to biological safety protocols to avoid similar incidents in the future.
