Global Biodefense September 21, 2019
One worker was hospitalized after a gas explosion on Sep. 16 caused a fire to break out at the Russian biological research facility in the Siberian city of Koltsovo. According to news coverage and the World Health Organization, the explosion did not occur near any storage areas of smallpox or other virus stockpiles; they remain intact and secure. The State Research Centre on Virology and Biotechnology, known as Vector, is the only center in the world other than the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved and known to have live samples of the deadly smallpox virus. Reated articles: Blast Sparks Fire at Russian Laboratory Housing Smallpox Virus (The Guardian ), The Explosion at Vector: Hoping for the Best While Preparing for the Worst (Journal of Global Biosecurity), Russian Lab Explosion Raises Question: Should Smallpox Virus Be Kept or Destroyed? (Fran Kritz at NPR)…read more