By Lawrence Sellin | November 13, 2021
According to a just-received November 12, 2021 Chinese language text and supported by other sources in China, there has been a presumed laboratory leak of COVID-19 at East China University of Science and Technology.
(A cursory translation of the above indicates that the school has been closed due to a new COVID-19 being released and the whole school has to be tested.)
Allegedly, laboratory workers tested positive for COVID-19 after conducting experiments involving the insertion of COVID-19 genetic material into the bacterium E.coli as an expression vector for COVID-19 proteins.
The text states that East China University of Science and Technology has been closed in relation to COVID-19 infections of laboratory workers.
The Chinese source said that all mention of this event on social media has now been removed by authorities.
It is not clear in which laboratory the alleged COVID-19 leak occurred, but the State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Newworld Institute of Biotechnology at East China University of Science and Technology, particularly the laboratory of Dong-Zhi Wei, is known for using bacteria like E.coli as expression vectors.
This is an initial report. Further confirmation and additional information about this developing story will be provided if and when available.
Lawrence Sellin, Ph.D. is retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel and a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq. He had a civilian career in international business and medical research. His email address is lawrence.sellin@gmail.com.
