A major breach of biosecurity protocol has been uncovered at a state-run Queensland laboratory, where nearly 100 live samples of the deadly Hendra virus have gone missing.
The incident has sparked an investigation, with Health Minister Tim Nicholls announcing the shocking discovery on Monday.
What Happened?
In 2021, a freezer storing virus samples at the Virology Laboratory broke down, resulting in the loss of 323 virus samples, including Hendra virus, lyssavirus, and hantavirus. The laboratory has been unable to account for the missing materials, leaving questions about whether they were removed or destroyed.
A Serious Breach
Health Minister Tim Nicholls described the incident as a “major breach” of biosecurity protocol, and an investigation has been launched to determine what went wrong. “It’s this part of the transfer of those materials that is causing concern,” Nicholls said. “They were transferred to a functioning freezer without the appropriate paperwork being completed.”
Low Risk to the Community
Chief Health Officer Dr. John Gerrard emphasized that the risk to the community is low, as the virus samples would degrade rapidly outside a low-temperature freezer and become non-infectious. No Hendra or lyssavirus cases have been detected among humans in Queensland over the past five years, and there has been no report of hantavirus infections in humans ever in Australia.
The Hendra Virus: A Deadly Threat
Hendra virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to people. In 1994, the virus swept through racing stables in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra, killing a trainer and 13 horses. Since then, there have been 66 known outbreaks across Australia, killing four people and dozens of horses.
Expert Reaction
Infectious Diseases expert Dr. Paul Griffin described the breach as “very disappointing” and emphasized the need for robust and rigorous systems in laboratories handling deadly pathogens. “These sort of things just can’t happen,” Dr. Griffin said. “The lab needs to be on the front foot and explain clearly how the breach occurred.”
Investigation Underway
A review will probe how virus samples are kept in labs, and former Supreme Court Justice Martin Daubney will lead the investigation. The terms of reference will consider the “management, administration, or delivery of public sector health services in the laboratory”. Internal policies and guidelines on how virus samples are kept in the lab will be analyzed to see if they were correctly followed. Recommendations will be made in a report to be delivered to the health department by June 30 this year.
Broader Concerns
The breach comes as thousands of DNA samples are being re-tested after historical flaws were uncovered in the state-run Forensic Science Queensland lab. More than 40,000 criminal cases were affected by the discovery of systemic failures in the way DNA samples were analyzed. The findings sparked two commissions of inquiry, with the retesting process expected to take years.