How to Finish the Root Cause in Escape from Tarkov

The Root Cause task from the Therapist in Escape from Tarkov is one of the trickiest tasks in the Halloween 2024 event quest line. It requires you to go back to the containment block and search for a virus sample with multiple spawn locations. You have been here before with the other previous quests, but you have to stay a little longer to search for the samples.

It only becomes harder because if you stay in the block for a long time, other PMCs can enter or wait for you outside, even if there is an unending horde of zombies. You want to come prepared so that you don’t waste your time looking for the samples. Here’s how to complete the Root Cause task with all the possible virus sample spawns in Escape from Tarkov.

How to Complete the Root Cause Task in Escape from Tarkov

To finish the Root Cause task, you must finish the following objectives:

• Locate and obtain the virus sample in The Lab
• Hand over the found item

The virus sample has several spawn locations, but luckily, they are also inside the containment block in Labs, which you should be all familiar with by now since you have been there twice already with this quest line.

You want to bring the same loadout you brought to eliminate the zombies in the Burn It Down task, but you should add more Zagustins just in case. You can bring an Injector Case and put multiple stims inside it so it only takes up one slot in your inventory.

Related: Boss and Cultist Spawn Rates in Escape from Tarkov’s Halloween Event

Virus Sample Possible Spawn Locations in The Lab

The virus samples are inside the containment block, so you should immediately go to the computer room near the power switch. Once you are inside the computer room, the spawn can either be to the left of the monitor (next to the vial case) or to the right of the monitor (on top of the desk).

If they didn’t spawn there, you can check the freezer at the side of the room and look at the bottom tray. These are all the spawn locations inside the computer room.

Next, you want to go to the laboratory room on the left. There is one huge desk in the middle with a lot of medical instruments. Look straight to the middle and search for the vial. You can jump on top of the desk if you want.

The last spawn would be at the last laboratory room at the end of the containment block. Look for the table, which is also in the middle of the desk. You can see the sample spawn near the vial container, as seen in the image above. If you are playing with friends, the sample should spawn in one area for everybody as long as everyone is in the same raid.