- The City of Reedly, California, found a hidden Chinese biolab in a warehouse holding potentially dangerous agents
- A Reedly code enforcement officer frantically sought advice from The Center for Disease Control (CDC) over potential fire hazards at the lab.
- The CDC’s lack of prompt response and comprehensive action on the biolab issue has raised many eyebrows.
- The discovery of an Ebola labeled freezer at the site was missed by CDC investigators.
- Questions are being raised regarding CDC’s protocols in responding to credible threats to public health.
Months after discovering a hidden Chinese biolab in California, local code enforcement officer Jesalyn Harper still grapples with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s lack of action on the situation. Harper discovered the lab, filled with thousands of vials of potentially infectious pathogens, in an unoccupied Reedley warehouse in December 2022.
However, credible on-site support from the CDC was not provided until May 2023, after local officials appealed for federal intervention. Despite the potential risks, including fire threats and the looming possibility of the biological agents thawing in case of power shutdown, the CDC’s response was sluggish, sparking outrage and concern among officials and locals.
What the CDC did not seize during the initial visit was a freezer labelled ‘Ebola,’ discovered two months later by local officials. The CDC declined to test the unlabelled silver bags within the freezer, citing that without direct labelling of Ebola, these items didn’t come under their scrutiny.
Behind the biolab was a series of Chinese shell companies controlled by fugitive Chinese national Jia Bei “Jesse” Zhu. Acting under the guise of “David He,” Zhu introduced himself to Reedley city officials as a “special representative.”
Despite the clear hazards posed by the biolab, the CDC’s actions have been questioned for their lack of urgency and comprehensive testing and investigation. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) has called the CDC’s stance worrisome. He is looking for answers as to why the agency initially “looked the other way.”
“CDC did not discover any label on a freezer that identified Ebola virus or any other select agent or toxin at the time of their on-site support,” CDC spokesman Dave Daigle said in response to queries.
However, these remarks underscore the conflicting narratives between the CDC and local officials and raise questions on the CDC’s methods of evaluation. In the throes of the outcry, understanding such hidden entities and achieving a swift, comprehensive response remains pivotal for public health safety.
