Several safety rule breaches, including not wearing proper protective gear while conducting experiments, led to a researcher working at an Academia Sinica laboratory handling the COVID-19 virus to become infected with the disease, an investigative report showed.
The researcher is a woman in her 20s who worked until early this month in a lab at Academia Sinica’s Genomics Research Center. She began to show symptoms of COVID-19 late last month, and a test she took on Dec. 9 came back positive.
Based on genome sequencing results, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) concluded that the laboratory in Taipei’s Nangang District (南港) where she worked was the origin of the infection, which raised questions about whether current safety protocols were adequate in preventing potential transmission and whether the laboratory had breached any of the protocols in place.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
In the wake of the incident, Academia Sinica was ordered to conduct an internal investigation, and a 28-page report on its findings was sent to the CECC on Sunday.
According to a summary of the report released by the CECC on Monday, Academia Sinica identified three reasons that the researcher had been exposed to the virus, based on interviews with people who worked there, laboratory records and surveillance footage of the lab.
Researchers are only allowed to handle COVID-19 infected mice in biosafety cabinets, but this rule was breached, resulting in several areas in the lab becoming contaminated, the summary said.
The researcher infected with COVID-19 also took off her mask before removing the rest of her protective gear, which was not the correct order of removal.
Moreover, the researcher and her colleagues failed to wear proper protective gear — including N95 masks, two sets of gloves, and safety goggles — while conducting experiments, the summary said.
As a result, the researcher was directly exposed on several occasions to the virus while wearing inadequate protective gear, which could have resulted in her becoming infected with the disease, although she could also have been infected because she had removed her gear in the wrong order, it said.
Academia Sinica said that it would review its supervisory system for its laboratories that handle sensitive materials, and that it would boost training for research personnel.
The CECC plans to meet with an independent investigation committee looking into the incident on Thursday and release its findings, including what punishments are to be handed out, in two weeks, it said.
The laboratory has been temporarily barred from using infectious biological materials and might only resume their use after obtaining approval from the Centers of Disease Control, the CECC said.
None of the infected researcher’s contacts have tested positive for COVID-19, the CECC said.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
RSS