Loner in lab could ‘easily unleash new pandemic’

A “DERANGED LONER” could easily unleash a pandemic with a homemade lab and off-the-shelf equipment, the Astronomer Royal has warned.

Lord Rees cautioned that developments in biotechnology have made it easy for rogue actors to obtain, manipulate and enhance a pathogen.

Speaking in the House of Lords during a debate on biosecurity, he said that the world’s experience with Covid “is not the worst that could happen”.

He described the origin of the pandemic as “controversial” and said it “cannot be ruled out” that the virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.

“We cannot rule out lab leakages in the future,” he said.

“There is surely a case for enhancing security and independent monitoring of level four labs around the world which are researching these lethal pathogens.

“And, more importantly, ensuring that experiments on lethal pathogens are not done in less-secure labs.”

The comments follow an investigation by The Telegraph which revealed lab leaks and accidents have risen by 50 per cent in Britain since Covid emerged.

Lord Rees, who is co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge, said the lack of control over who becomes infected in a pandemic, means governments and terrorist groups will avoid deliberately creating “engineered” outbreaks.

“The real nightmare will be a deranged loner with biotech expertise, who does not care who becomes infected or how many,” the scientist said.

“In contrast to the elaborate, conspicuous equipment needed to create a nuclear weapon, which can feasibly be monitored by international inspectors, biotech involves small-scale, dual-use technology that will become easily accessible.

“The dangers are looming ever larger; regulation of biotech is needed ever more today... This is the stuff of nightmares.

“We must hope that vaccines and antidotes become ever more effective and speedily produced, in step with the growing threat,” Lord Rees added.