“No Hendra or lyssavirus cases have been detected among humans in Queensland over the past five years, and there.
Has never been a report of hantavirus infections in humans in Australia,” said Dr. John Gerrard, the chief health officer for Queensland, downplaying any need for alarm.
“It’s hard to imagine a situation in which the public could be in danger,” Gerrard said. It’s crucial to remember that viral samples would quickly deteriorate and lose their infectious properties outside of a low-temperature freezer.
To find out how such a biosecurity violation involving these viral samples could happen, an inquiry has been launched. Regarding the breach, infectious diseases specialist Dr. Paul Griffin said,
“These kinds of things just can’t happen in laboratories handling such deadly pathogens … the systems and processes are usually so robust and rigorous.”
