Chinese virus expert, known as batwoman, warns new coronavirus outbreak in future
batwoman" due to her extensive research on animal-origin viruses, has issued a stark warning about the potential emergence of a new coronavirus in the future. As per a TOI report, Shi, who heads the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, emphasized the global necessity to prepare for such outbreaks, drawing insights from the harrowing Covid-19 pandemic.
With over two decades of experience in coronavirus research, Shi and her team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology recently published a paper in July 2023.
In this paper, they assessed the risk of 40 different coronavirus species spilling over into human populations. Alarmingly, half of these species were classified as «highly risky.» Among these, six species have already been documented as causing diseases in humans, and evidence suggests that three others have caused diseases or infected various animal species.
The study's conclusion was unequivocal, stating that «it is almost certain that there will be future disease emergence, and it is highly likely a [coronavirus] disease again.»
The research was grounded in a comprehensive analysis of viral characteristics, including factors like population, genetic diversity, host species, and previous instances of zoonotic transmission—instances where diseases jump from animals to humans. Furthermore, the study identified key hosts of these pathogens, which encompass natural hosts such as bats and rodents, as well as potential intermediary hosts like camels, civets, pigs, or pangolins.
