Nature reports that the Centers for Disease Control have ceased all shipments of infectious disease pathogens until they can get them shipped right:
Workers at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, accidentally shipped highly dangerous H5N1 influenza virus to another government laboratory in March, the agency revealed today. The news comes weeks after the CDC announced that dozens of its employees were potentially exposed to anthrax because its staff did not follow established laboratory safety guidelines.
In response to the incidents, the CDC today imposed a moratorium on shipments from its high-biosecurity facilities and shut down the laboratories responsible for the anthrax and H5N1 incidents, pending an investigation. “I’m disappointed by what happened and frankly I’m angry,” agency director Thomas Frieden said at a press conference.
Oops. Uh, better luck next time?