INTEL 309

Chinese scientists have engineered a virus with parts of Ebola in a lab that killed a group of hamsters.

A team of researchers at Hebei Medical University used a contagious disease of livestock and added a protein found in Ebola, which allows the virus to infect cells and spread throughout the human body.

The group of hamsters that received the lethal injection ‘developed severe systemic diseases similar to those observed in human Ebola patients,’ including multi-organ failure,’ the study shared.

The results of this study were predictably horrific,

One particularly horrific symptom saw the infected hamsters develop secretions in their eyes, which impaired their vision and scabbed over the surface of the eyeballs.

A decade ago, Ebola ravaged parts of Africa. Ebola has an average fatality rate of 50%,

Ebola virus disease, once known by, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is defined by the iconic hemorrhagic fever, but more common symptoms are non-specific such as fever, malaise, headache, diarrhea, or vomiting. The disease can quickly progress to multi-organ system failure leading to shock followed by death. The case-fatality rate ranges from 25% to 90%; the average case fatality rate is about 50%.

The obvious concern with any of these dangerous biolab experiments is the threat of a lab leak, according to the Daily Mail:

But lab leaks happen, and these incidents could lead to the spread of to those outside of the lab.

 Experts have confirmed that respiratory viruses – which are spared via coughing and sneezing – are more likely to spread widely through a population. 

Data released this March revealed that lab leak incidents occur every year and included the release of controlled pathogens like tuberculosis and anthrax. 

There are anywhere from 70 to 100 releases were recorded every year.