Missing biological material contained small amounts of Ebola gene

Chris Purdy
The Canadian Press
Thursday, May 14, 2009

WINNIPEG – Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory is reviewing its security measures after vials containing safe traces of the Ebola gene were allegedly swiped by a scientist four months ago.

Officials at the lab became aware last week that the 22 vials were missing when U.S. authorities arrested the former employee at the Manitoba-North Dakota border.

The vials, according to court documents, were in a glove, wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in a plastic bag with electrical wires. They were found in the trunk of the scientist’s car.

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Konan Michel Yao, 42, is in custody in the United States charged with smuggling. Customs staff allege he didn’t declare the biological material.

Dr. Frank Plummer, head of the Winnipeg lab, said Yao did not have security clearance to work with high-level pathogens such as the Ebola virus. But he was allowed to work on an Ebola vaccine project in the facility’s special pathogens unit.

• A d v e r t i s e m e n t

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which has possession of the missing vials, has determined that some contain small amounts of genetic Ebola material, said Plummer.

Full story here.

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