A startling discovery in Reedley, California, has raised serious concerns about biolaboratory operations within the United States.
Local and federal officials recently raided a warehouse that turned out to be an illegal Chinese-run virus laboratory, conducting experiments with HIV, herpes, malaria, and genetically engineering mice.
Alarming Discoveries in California Raise National Security Concerns
Photos obtained via court documents reveal shocking scenes of thousands of dead mice stored haphazardly in bins and freezers filled with blood and plasma of unknown origins.
The lab also contained boxes containing dangerous pathogens, including one labeled ‘malaria’ with Chinese writing on it.
The origins of the lab, its operators, and whether it posed a bioterrorism threat remain unanswered questions.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has expressed deep concern over this discovery and is urging congressional action to prevent a scenario similar to the Wuhan lab leak that sparked the COVID-19 pandemic from happening within US biolaboratories.
Ernst emphasized the importance of accountability, as she believes China is conducting risky research that poses a serious public health concern right within the US.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has previously suggested that a lab incident in Wuhan was likely responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
China has denied this claim, but Ernst has been actively working to end US taxpayer funding of dangerous projects involving Chinese animal experiments and research.
Ernst introduced the Accountability in Foreign Animal Research (AFAR) Act of 2023, which prohibits US taxpayer dollars from funding animal experiments in China.
Additionally, she criticized President Biden’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) for renewing a $2 million taxpayer-funded grant to EcoHealth Alliance, which had links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
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Declassifying Origins of COVID-19
Following a review, the Biden administration decided to halt funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, citing non-compliance with federal regulations and a lack of responsibility.
In March, President Biden signed a bill to declassify intelligence on the origins of COVID-19. The subsequent 10-page report, released on June 23, indicated that multiple US agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Energy, now consider the lab leak the most likely origin of the pandemic.
The discovery in the California warehouse operated by Prestige BioTech has further intensified concerns.
Investigators found nearly 1,000 white mice in crowded storage containers under harsh conditions, with many already dead.
Vials containing various biomaterials, including dangerous pathogens, were also uncovered, raising serious safety and disposal protocol violations.
While the precise origins of the lab remain a mystery, officials have noted that provided addresses in China were either empty offices or unverifiable locations.
The ongoing investigation into this illegal Chinese-run virus lab underscores the need for stringent measures and vigilance to safeguard against potential bioterrorism threats and ensure public health protection within the United States.
Sen. Joni Ernst’s call for accountability and congressional action serves as a crucial step in addressing these critical concerns.
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