Thousands infected after China's lab leaks Disease 'Brucellosis': 50 times higher death rate than COVID19, makes men infertile

More than 4,000 people in North-Western China have suddenly tested positive for a deadly bacterial infection ‘Brucellosis’ (alleged virus not yet named) after an outbreak caused by a leak at a biopharmaceutical company.

The National Health Commission (NHC) of Lanzhou confirmed that at least 3,245 people in the city of Lanzhou - the capital of Gansu province - have been diagnosed with the infectious disease usually caused by inhaling bacteria or drinking unpasteurised milk or contact with livestock.

Another 1,401 people have tested as preliminarily positive, though there have been no fatalities reported, the city's Health Commission said on Tuesday. In total, authorities have tested 21,847 people out of the city's 2.9 million population.

The infection can affect almost all parts of the body - such as the heart, liver, central nervous system, and the reproductive system. Health experts said one of the serious complications due to the disease can result in inflammed testicles, leading to infertility in men.

Other possible symptoms of brucellosis include - arthritis, endocarditis (infection of the heart’s inner lining), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes around your brain), etc. The mortality rate for brucellosis is about 2 % (although COVID-19 only has 0.03).

Authorities have now discovered that the Zhongmu Lanzhou biological pharmaceutical factory, which was making brucellosis vaccines for animals, 'ACCIDENTALLY' vented an aerosolized version of Brucella (the bacteria that causes brucellosis) into the air last summer due to the use of expired sanitizers and disinfectants. This has led to the spread of the bacterial disease across the surrounding area through the air.