Investigation launched into Queensland lab breach, with deadly virus samples missing

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Hundreds of deadly samples have been lost in a biosecurity bundle at a state-run laboratory in south-east Queensland. An investigation has been launched after it was discovered – the samples went missing when a freezer broke down in 2021.

Transcript

00:00The state's virology lab, now under the microscope, after more than 320 infectious virus samples

00:11couldn't be located.

00:13Those failures go to record keeping, those failures go to how certain materials were

00:18handled.

00:19A six month investigation has been launched after vials of Hendra virus, Lissa virus and

00:24Hanta virus were lost.

00:26All three can be deadly to humans.

00:29The samples were transferred after a freezer broke down in 2021, but the lab has no record

00:36of where they went.

00:37The government has breached biosecurity protocols that are administered nationally and also

00:43here in Queensland.

00:44The LNP says the bungle was discovered in August last year after the lab came under

00:50new management.

00:51The state's chief health officer says the samples may have been destroyed.

00:56I want to assure Queenslanders that I do not believe there is any evidence of public

01:03health risk arising from these record keeping breaches.

01:08The lab used to be part of Forensic and Scientific Services, which has been the subject of two

01:13major investigations after failures with DNA samples.

01:17The review will investigate if the failings are systemic.

01:21I am concerned about it because we've seen it happen with the DNA lab, we've now seen

01:25another failure of record keeping and administration.

01:28This is disappointing to hear about this breach today and I think also to be finding out about

01:31it so far down the track, I mean the systems and processes and laboratories like this handling

01:36such deadly pathogens are usually so robust and rigorous.

01:41The state government announced this review ahead of the final parliamentary sitting week

01:46of the year.

01:47On top of health, the LNP will be pushing its tough on crime agenda when its youth justice

01:53law changes are debated this week.

01:56Labor is yet to reveal its position on that legislation, which includes sentencing young

02:01offenders as adults for serious crimes.

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