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Nearly 200 people under observation after Irkutsk lab worker dies from plague

222 points · 202 comments · ericmay

  1. robmusial · · focus · HN ↗
    I literally just finished Annie Jacobsen's book 'Biological War: A Scenario' last week where the central plot point is an accidental release of modified form of pneumonic plague from a lab in Siberia. Very coincidental timing, especially since it made me wonder how often labs like these have accidents and we never hear about them because it is cleaned up without issue.
    1. petcat · · focus · HN ↗
      > made me wonder how often labs like these have accidents and we never hear about them because it is cleaned up without issue.

      Did anyone ever confirm if the lab in Wuhan China was the originator of COVID? I remember that was a rumor but never heard if there was anything to it.

      1. matt123456789 · · focus · HN ↗
        That was exactly the strain of Coronavirus that the lab was working with, and exactly the kinds of mutations you'd expect them to make.

        But no, I'm sure it was the wombats.

        1. mikeyouse · · focus · HN ↗
          It wasn’t the exact strain, the mutations were nothing like you’d expect them to make, and good lord people on HN need better news and science sources if this is still the level of discussion on the topic.
          1. khazhoux · · focus · HN ↗
            There is still no conclusive explanation. You can find reputable sources for either theory.
            1. shlant · · focus · HN ↗
              > You can find reputable sources for either theory.

              I get so tired of hearing this rationalization. It's anti-science. Not all evidence is equal and the preponderance of evidence is heavily skewed to it being zoonotic.

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