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California officials were thrown for a loop when a routine hose inspection uncovered an illegal medical lab filled with infectious agents, hundreds of dead mice, and other hazardous materials operating inside a warehouse.
The City of Reedley’s code enforcement team stumbled upon the lab last December, with a months-long investigation revealing that Prestige BioTech and Universal Meditech Inc. were holding vials of at least 20 infectious viruses, bacteria and parasites – including COVID-19, E. Coli and malaria, according to court documents filed at the Superior Court of the State of California.
“There was over 800 different chemicals on site in different bottles of different acids. Unfortunately, a lot of these are being categorized under unknown chemicals,” Joe Prado, the Assistant Director of the Fresno County Department of Public Health, told KSEE.
“A lot of these labels have been removed from bottles so there was only so much testing we could do. I’ve never seen this in my 26-year career with the County of Fresno,” he added.
Officials also found nearly 1,000 diseased and bioengineered mice, with about 200 of rodents already dead.
Investigators said they documented all the biological agents they could before destroying the dangerous materials on July 7 after emptying the warehouse. The process included euthanizing 773 of the surviving rats.
Reedley officials made the discovery when they spotted a green garden hose running through the abandoned property late last year, and upon knocking at the door of the warehouse, it was clear a business was operating there without permission.
By March, health officials inspected the area and made the shocking find, with the workers there telling officials that they were developing COVID and pregnancy tests, according to the court documents.
The lab was run by Prestige BioTech, a Nevada-based company not registered to do business in California.
The company’s president, Xiuquin Yao, told officials Prestige was operating at the site after absorbing the now-defunct Universal Meditech Inc, which was evicted from a lab facility in Fresno.
“The other addresses provided for identified authorized agents were either empty offices or addresses in China that could not be verified,” the court documents state.
The CDC tested the infectious agents found at the lab, and along with COVID-19, E. Coli and malaria, the agency found the lab was working with HIV, hepatitis and herpes, according to the US Department of Health and Humans Services.
Some of the chemicals and infectious agents were stored in bins that included English and Chinese labels, according to photos of the lab released in the court documents.
Prestige BioTech is accused of failing to comply with orders, including providing plans for biological abatement and disposal of hazardous materials. A criminal investigation is ongoing.
The company did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld told ABC30 Monday that questions still linger about what was going on at the lab as the city works to continue investigating the site before demolishing the building.
“We, the city of Fresno, will certainly be doing our due diligence with this situation, looking at any relationship that occurred in the city with this lab or what they may be trying to do in the future,” Bredefeld said.
County health officials echoed that there is currently no risk to the public as local and federal officials continue working to clear the warehouse.
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