Hundreds of Deadly Virus Vials Missing, Sparks ‘Major Biosecurity Breach’

United States: The Queensland government said on Monday that hundreds of deadly virus samples had gone missing from a laboratory in Australia.

The government has directed Queensland Health – Australia’s public health department – to investigate what has been referred to as a “major historical breach of biosecurity protocols,” as per an online media statement.

More about the news

There were media reports that 323 multiple infectious vials of viruses, such as Hendra virus, Lyssavirus & Hantavirus, went missing from Queensland’s Public Health Virology Laboratory in August 2023.

Hendra is a zoonotic virus originating only from Australia that makes its transmission from animals to people.

Hantavirus is a group of viruses that are pathogenic and cause severe disease and death – according to the CDC. Meanwhile, Lyssavirus is another group of viruses that causes rabies virus.

Measures by health experts

As per the released statement, the missing samples from the lab provide “diagnostic services, surveillance, and research for viruses and mosquito and tick-borne pathogens of medical importance,” Fox News reported.

Moreover, the statement added it is not clear whether the virus samples were stolen or destroyed, as there is “no evidence of risk to the community.”

Although, the government body has initiated a “Part 9 investigation.”

“With such a serious breach of biosecurity protocols and infectious virus samples potentially missing, Queensland Health must investigate what occurred and how to prevent it from happening again,” Minister Timothy Nicholls added.

Nicholls also said that Queensland Health has implemented “proactive measures,” such as providing refresher training on the necessary regulations and checking on compliance with rules on storage of other materials.

Dr. Sam Scarpino of the AI and life sciences at Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, also pointed out that the situation in Australia constitutes what could be described as a “critical biosecurity failure.”

Scarpino pointed out that the three pathogens can cause very high mortality rates in man, though they are not easily communicable from one person to another.

Mr Njiri also noted that there was also a high risk to animals and livestock from the three diseases.

The Lyssavirus family comprises the rabies virus, which is virtually always lethal in men unless appropriate medical attention is sought by the victim.

As stated by Chief Health Officer Dr. John Gerrard in the media release, no public risk is involved.