Australian lab missing dangerous viruses due to freezer failure

In Australia, there has been a serious incident at the state virology laboratory in Queensland. The lab has lost more than 300 virus samples including hantavirus, Hendra virus and lyssa virus among others in 2021.

Here's What We Know

Three vials of samples disappeared after the freezer in which they were stored broke down. Officials did not report the incident until August 2023. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls said the government had launched an investigation to find out why the samples disappeared.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, officials assure that the lost samples do not pose a threat to the public. Viruses decompose quickly outside the freezer and become non-infectious. No cases of Hendra and Lyssa virus infections have been reported in the region in the past five years, and hantavirus has never been detected in Australia. Nevertheless, the incident is a cause for concern because of the potential consequences of mishandling dangerous microorganisms.

The Queensland government is still investigating to find out why the lab did not notice the missing samples earlier and how to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Source: 9news