Chinese experts warn of the risk of an epidemic similar to Covid-19

Leading Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli has warned that it is “very likely” that there will be diseases caused by coronaviruses in the future. .

Ms. Shi – a scientist nicknamed “batman” because she specializes in researching a number of viruses transmitted to humans from animals, especially bats – warned that world needs to prepare for a scenario that will emerge The current epidemic is similar to Covid-19.

Coronavirus is the common name of a family of viruses named because they have a crown-like protein spike and often cause mild to severe upper respiratory tract illnesses. as severe as the common cold.

There are hundreds of types of coronavirus and most of them can spread in animals. Such viruses can sometimes spread to humans for example in the case of Covid-19 when scientists suspect it may have originated in bats.

In addition to Covid-19 coronaviruses have been caused an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, causing thousands of deaths worldwide, mainly in mainland China and Hong Kong.

In this scientist’s research Assess the risk of spreading to humans of 40 types of corona virus. She identified half of them as “high risk”.

Of the above six species are confirmed to cause disease in humans while there is evidence that the remaining three species can can cause disease or infection in other animals.

The study warns: “It is almost certain that there will be diseases appearing in the future and it is very likely that diseases related to corona virus will reoccur.”

This study is based on analysis of virus characteristics including host species genetic diversity and any previous zoonotic disease history .