Strange Sounds – September 20, 2020
Another outbreak in China has sparked a wave of concern among authorities after thousands of people in the northern part of the country tested positive for a bacterial infection.
The infection spread among people working in a state-owned biopharmaceutical plant in Lanzhou city, which produces animal vaccines after a leak occurred last year.
Here’s what you need to know about the new Brucellosis outbreak:
According to Chinese authorities, the biopharmaceutical plant had used expired disinfectants for producing Brucella vaccines for animals between July and August last year. This indicated that the bacteria was not eradicated in the factory exhaust.
Subsequently, the contaminated gas from the factory formed aerosols containing the bacteria, which was then carried by wind to a nearby Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute. This resulted in infecting close to 200 people there as well in December last year.
There are 3,245 people who have contracted Brucellosis, according to health officials in Lanzhou.
Another 1,401 people also tested as an early positive for the disease, news agency AFP reported.
The total positive cases also included 20 students and faculty members of Lanzhou University, some of whom had been to the institute.