Accident With Swine Flu Virus On Swiss Train

In an inter-city train between Bern and Freiburg on Monday a container of pig influenza virus exploded.

When the virus was is a danger to human variant of the H1N1 strain. Two persons were slightly injured by the explosion. For the passengers, but there was no risk with the dangerous Pig flu virus to become infected, as the police announced. "The incident has given us in the first moment alarmed, turned out but then as harmless, "said a spokesman for the Vaud Canton Police on Monday evening.

The explosion occurred shortly before the train station in Freiburg. The subsequent stopover rail passengers could still freely board and disembark. Prior to Lausanne, the train for several hours on a siding asked. The 61 passengers in the train cars were affected, were isolated during an hour, until a full infection could be excluded.

Dry ice is placed wrong The viruses were responsible for the National Influenza Center in Geneva determined. There should be commissioned by the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) is a test for Diagnosis of swine flu will be developed. An employee of Geneva was in Zurich eight vials collected to make them by train to Geneva to be transported. Five of them contained the Pig influenza viruses, in three other nucleic acid was located. These Vials were hermetically sealed and packed with dry ice - solid Carbon Dioxide - chilled.

The viruses were in accordance with the usual rules have been packed, said Laurent Kaiser, head of the Geneva Laboratory of Virology in front of the media. However, the dry ice was mistakenly taken within outside of the vacuum has been placed. It melts, and inside the Packaging, a gauge pressure. Finally, the package exploded. The transporter and a woman suffered minor injuries.

Not the dangerous virus According to Kaiser, it is used for the samples of the virus in order to Pig flu strain H1N1. With the currently rampant aggressive Pig flu virus but were not identical. Also, the carrier knew that he had no dangerous viruses transported. He immediately informed the crew.

After forty minutes were also the SBB and the authorities about the incident. The police stopped the train from the entrance to the railway station of Lausanne and sent specialists to evaluate the situation in the train. They have it is traded precautions, informed the Vaud Canton police. He regretted the incident, said Kaiser continues. He pointed out, however, that every day with the virus would be transported by train. Some were even by mail on the road.

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