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.
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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.