What happened at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana?

Emergency protocols were activated due to a suspected exposure to the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.

Was there any risk to the public from the lab incident?

Officials confirmed there was no risk to the public or other staff members.

What is the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus?

It is a severe, tick-borne viral disease that can cause life-threatening hemorrhages and organ failure.

Home / Health / Montana Lab Breach: Deadly Virus Leak Scare

Montana Lab Breach: Deadly Virus Leak Scare

22 Jan

•

Summary

A high-security lab in Montana experienced an emergency protocol activation.
The incident involved a potential exposure to a lethal hemorrhagic fever virus.
Officials confirmed no public or staff risk, with the employee isolated.

Montana Lab Breach: Deadly Virus Leak Scare

Emergency protocols were triggered at the high-security Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, Montana, on November 3, 2025. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-operated facility, which handles deadly pathogens, confirmed a suspected exposure to the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus. This incident occurred when an employee's personal protective equipment may have been breached while working with the lethal, tick-borne virus.

Officials stated the employee was immediately isolated and monitored, assuring that no actual exposure or transmission took place. They emphasized that at no point was there any risk to the public or other staff. The watchdog group White Coat Waste uncovered a biolab report detailing the incident, noting a required Form 3 submission to the Federal Select Agent Program, indicating a potential loss, theft, or release of a regulated biological agent.