Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Oracle of  Omaha SaysOracle of  Omaha Says

Latest News

HHS halts work at high-risk infectious disease lab following repeated safety violations

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) implemented a pause on research at one of the nation’s most highly secure research labs, following repeated safety incidents that a source familiar told Fox News Digital have been occurring since the Biden administration.

An HHS official confirmed the pause at Fort Detrick’s Integrated Research Facility, which conducts risky research on deadly infectious diseases like SARS-COV-2 and the Ebola virus, began Tuesday at 5 p.m. 

The facility, which is one of only a handful across North America, is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and is located at the U.S. Army base Fort Detrick, outside Washington, D.C. The research there studies treatment and prevention of deadly, ‘high-consequence’ diseases such as Lassa Fever and Eastern equine encephalitis.

According to the HHS official who was willing to speak on the matter under the condition of anonymity, the pause stemmed from a lover’s spat between researchers at the facility, which resulted in one of the individuals poking holes in the other’s personal protective equipment (PPE). That individual has since been fired, the official indicated. 

The HHS official added that the incident is just the latest example of safety incidents at the high-risk laboratory, which they blamed on a poor safety culture at the lab enabled by the previous Biden administration.

‘NIH and HHS take the safety of our facilities and research very seriously,’ HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said. ‘As soon as we found out about this incident, we took immediate action to issue the safety pause until we can correct the safety culture at this facility.’

The latest incident, according to HHS, was preceded by a separate incident that occurred as recently as November.

The facility’s director, Connie Schmaljohn, was placed on administrative leave following the incident. The HHS official familiar with the matter indicated Schmaljohn did not report the incident up the chain of command immediately, causing a delay in remedying the matter.

During this temporary pause, all research at the facility will come to a halt and access will be limited to essential personnel. 

It is unclear how long the pause will remain in effect.   

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News And Articles.






    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

    You May Also Like

    Latest News

    A former Republican legislative candidate who traveled to Washington for former President Donald Trump’s ‘Stop the Steal’ rally was arrested Friday and charged with...

    Latest News

    Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden’s attorney, filed an ethics complaint Friday against Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green after she displayed censured nude photos of the president’s...

    Stock

    Even as U.S. inflation broadly cools, frozen vegetable prices are hot. The average shelf price for frozen veggies rose by 18% in the past year...

    Latest News

    President Biden has overruled the Pentagon and chosen Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, making her the first woman, if she’s confirmed, to...