Renowned researcher from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (China), Shi Zhengli, has warned that a pandemic similar to Covid-19 could emerge from 20 other “high-risk” coronaviruses.
Virologist Shi Zhengli is a leading expert in researching bat coronaviruses similar to SARS, often referred to as the “bat lady.” Dr. Shi recently issued this warning in a study published.
She asserted that the world must prepare for another disease similar to Covid-19 because if a coronavirus that has caused illness before re-emerges, there is a high risk it could return, according to the South China Morning Post.
The coronavirus group includes two notorious strains: SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which caused the previous SARS and Covid-19 pandemics, resulting in numerous deaths worldwide.
Dr. Shi Zhengli (standing) in the laboratory – (Photo: AP).
In this study, Dr. Shi’s team from the Wuhan Institute of Virology assessed the risk of transmission to humans from 40 coronaviruses, with half of them deemed to be “high-risk.”
Among these, there is evidence that six strains can infect humans, while three others can infect or have the potential to infect other animal species.
The study warns: “It is almost certain that diseases will emerge in the future, and it is very likely that pandemics caused by coronaviruses will recur.”
This research is based on an analysis of the characteristics of the viruses, including population, genetic diversity, host species, and any previous history of zoonotic transmission.
The authors also identified important hosts for the high-risk pathogens, including natural hosts (such as bats and rodents) or potential intermediate hosts (including camels, civets, pigs, or pangolins).
They also highlighted rapid and highly accurate testing tools that could be used to proactively monitor these high-risk viruses.
This scientific paper was published in the English journal Emerging Microbes & Infections in July. However, it only garnered attention on Chinese social media this month.
Many Chinese virologists have been reluctant to comment on Dr. Shi’s latest research due to the increasing sensitivity surrounding her work.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology has also been at the center of much skepticism and controversy regarding the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused the Covid-19 pandemic. Some argue that this strange and dangerous virus may have leaked from the institute’s laboratory, making Wuhan the initial epicenter of the pandemic.
