Medical samples were found inside a laboratory belonging to a Chinese company in California – Photo: South China Morning Post/Fresno County Public Health Department
according to the newspaper South China Morning Post On September 15, a committee of the US House of Representatives said it had collected “thousands of pages of documents, hundreds of photographs, and hours of video” before reaching the above conclusion.
This illegal laboratory was established by Universal Meditech and Prestige Biotech, based in the city of Reedley in Fresno County, California. Notably, Prestige Biotech (headquartered in Nevada) is not granted a business license in California.
City officials exchanged emails with Xiuqin Yao – who claimed to be the president of Prestige Biotech. Her nationality is unclear, but she said in an email that she was in the process of applying for a US visa from Beijing.
Ms Yao said the California facility is used to “store biomedical supplies related to the development of diagnostic test kits” as well as “raise large numbers of inbred mice for related tests.” “Related to immunology and cancer”.
The chairman of the aforementioned committee – Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher – said: “It is alarming that a Chinese company has set up a secret facility in a small American town.”
In March 2023, local and federal officials began a months-long investigation of the facility containing laboratory rats, medical waste, and toxins.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 20 potential infectious agents have been detected in this laboratory, including coronavirus, HIV, hepatitis and herpes.
All of the above infectious agents were destroyed in accordance with the legal procedures of the Fresno County Department of Public Health.
(TagstoTranslate)China(T)Laboratory(T)Infectious Disease(T)Chinese Company(T)US House of Representatives
