from Hacker News

Illegal lab containing bioengineered mice infected with HIV and herpes in Cali

by FeaturelessBug on 7/30/23, 5:29 PM with 31 comments

• by AequitasOmnibus on 7/30/23, 7:48 PM

  > Wang Zhaolin, a representative of the company operating the lab, Prestige Biotech, told investigators that the mice inside the warehouse had been genetically engineered to catch and spread the COVID-19 virus, according to The San Joaquin Valley Sun.

  This fact alone shocks the conscience. Criminal charges should fly swift and fierce against everyone involved in this illegal operation.

  What’s horrifying is that this biolab was found on a fluke. How many more covert biolabs is China operating in secret in the U.S.?

• by brucethemoose2 on 7/30/23, 8:33 PM

  Again, what is the motive? Where is the money coming from?

  Secret COVID HIV rats is a Bond villian thing, not something actual criminals do to make a buck.

• by andrewstuart on 7/30/23, 7:28 PM

  All the transmissibility of herpes with the damage of HIV.

  Of course, of course.

  Totally safe of course. Zero chance of lab escape. I do hear there are wet markets nearby though…..

• by upsidesinclude on 7/30/23, 7:43 PM

  This should be really bigger news.

  Seperate news reports include claims that the company was "developing COVID19 tests" among other things. This could very well have been funded through pandemic relief grants.

  The owners of the building claim no knowledge of the goings on there.

  Clearly they were engaged in some nefarious work with extremely minimal safety protocol.

• by rolandog on 7/30/23, 7:23 PM

  To quote Steve Gibson: "What could possibly go wrong?"

• by whimsicalism on 7/30/23, 7:51 PM

  Does anyone have reporting from a higher quality source?

• by seatac76 on 7/30/23, 9:56 PM

  This is the stuff of horror movies, so much can go wrong. How are they even able to acquire such material without some oversight?

• by jbirer on 7/31/23, 5:23 PM

  Don't forget that it also contained modified SARS virus.