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29 Jan, 14:46

Russia's sanitary watchdog monitors situation in Congo over risk of biolab leak

According to the agency, there is a lab at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the town of Goma, where samples of hemorrhagic fever pathogens, including the Ebola virus, are stored

MOSCOW, January 29. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) has taken charge of the epidemic situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where, according to the International Red Cross Committee, there is a risk of leaks from biological labs in connection with the armed conflict, the press service said.

According to the agency, there is a lab at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the town of Goma, near the border with Rwanda, where samples of hemorrhagic fever pathogens, including the Ebola virus, are stored. Due to the ongoing armed conflict, there have been power disruptions that could cause dangerous pathogens to escape the lab.

"The activities of this lab are funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and France’s Fondation Merieux. This highlights the irresponsible approach of Western countries in managing dangerous infections in third countries, where biological facilities are established without the necessary infrastructure and dangerous pathogens are accumulated uncontrollably. In the 21st century, nearly half (7 out of 16) of the known incidents of dangerous pathogen releases from biolabs have occurred in the United States. US biological facilities also account for 80% of the known incidents of laboratory acquired infections with such dangerous diseases as plague, anthrax, smallpox, Ebola virus," the statement said.

Russia's sanitary watchdog also stated that it has deployed its mobile labs for early detection of infections in neighboring territories to the Democratic Republic of Congo to enhance Africa’s laboratory capabilities.