UMVA has learned that a bite from a virus‑laden monkey at a federal research lab in Montana sparked a frantic scramble reminiscent of a horror‑movie outbreak.
In November, an employee at the National Institutes of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories was bitten by a monkey infected with Crimean‑Congo hemorrhagic fever, a deadly tick‑borne virus. The worker received immediate medical care, avoided infection, and returned to duty within days.
Despite the swift recovery, the incident has ignited alarm among state leaders who fear a slip‑up could unleash a catastrophe. Montana’s Republican senator warned that “we don’t want Montana to be the next Wuhan,” demanding answers about the lab’s safety practices.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the senator’s letter to the Department of Health and Human Services outlined a four‑point demand: a full investigation of the bite incident, a rigorous audit of the facility’s biosafety protocols, a probe into personnel vetting and clearance procedures, and a review of how the NIH handles employees under investigation.
The lab, known for studying the world’s most lethal pathogens—including Ebola—has long operated under tight security. Yet critics argue that even a minor lapse, such as an unmarked vial allegedly brought back from Africa by a senior researcher, could expose staff and nearby communities to grave danger.
Support for the probe is building across Capitol Hill, with other senators echoing concerns that a single breach could trigger a public‑health disaster on American soil.
