Queensland authorities are investigating the disappearance of 323 virus samples from a government-operated laboratory, including 100 Hendra virus samples, 223 lyssavirus fragments, and two hantavirus samples.
The breach, described by The National Pulse as “jaw-dropping and alarming,” raises serious biosecurity concerns.
Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls confirmed Monday that the department is investigating the incident. “There is no evidence so far of any public health risk due to the missing vials,” he assured. Chief Health Officer John Gerrard added that without proper freezer storage, the viruses would quickly lose their infectiousness.
The missing samples came to light in August 2023 but are gaining attention amidst global health threats, including bird flu mutations, mpox outbreaks, and Marburg virus cases in Rwanda.
Health authorities have ruled out the use of the Hendra virus for biological warfare and pledged to review procedures to prevent future incidents.