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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. sajithdilshan · · focus · HN ↗
        The German secret service has assessed that 85-90% probability that it was leaked from a lab in Wuhan and presented a report to then Chancellor Angela Merkel.

        The assessment was later leaked and was published in a German Newspaper (<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.sueddeutsche.de&#x2F;politik&#x2F;corona-bnd-china-li.3217853" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.sueddeutsche.de&#x2F;politik&#x2F;corona-bnd-china-li.3217...)

        1. 98753579909754 · · focus · HN ↗

          [dead]

        2. Gareth321 · · focus · HN ↗
          For about two years the vitriol people received for daring to suggest the virus might have leaked from a poorly secured lab near the origination site was unbelievable. I would like to believe everyone involved would take a long, hard look at themselves but I highly doubt they will. My favourite bit from the time was from [Jon Stewart on Colbert.](<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;youtu.be&#x2F;sSfejgwbDQ8?si=qypQLgxKq2IbagfN" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;youtu.be&#x2F;sSfejgwbDQ8?si=qypQLgxKq2IbagfN) I&#x27;ve never seen Colbert so uncomfortable.
          1. sajithdilshan · · focus · HN ↗
            To a certain extent I can understand why no country wanted to point fingers at China because they didn&#x27;t want to piss off their biggest trading partner. Especially by Germany, given how much they relied on China to buy their cars back then.

            But the lack of transparency and the coverup to this day has immensely weaken the public trust in the scientific institution and government bodies for public health and safety.

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