Renowned Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, commonly known as “batwoman” due to her extensive research on animal-origin viruses, has issued a cautionary message about the potential emergence of a new coronavirus. She emphasizes the importance of global preparedness in light of the lessons learned from the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, South China Morning Post reported Sunday.
This leading Chinese expert in virology, who has extensively studied bats and their role as carriers of infectious agents that can transmit to humans, highlights the historical occurrences of coronavirus-related illnesses, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the recent Covid-19 pandemic, as indicative of the likelihood of future outbreaks.
A study conducted by Shi’s team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) assessed the risk associated with 40 different coronavirus species potentially spilling over from animals to humans. Notably, they identified half of these as “highly risky.” Among these, six are already known to have caused diseases in humans, while three others have shown evidence of potential to infect either humans or other animal species, according to reports from the Hong Kong-based daily.
The study’s conclusions are resolute, underscoring that the future emergence of a deadly disease is nearly certain, with another coronavirus outbreak considered highly probable. This assessment was based on a comprehensive analysis of viral characteristics, encompassing factors like population dynamics, genetic diversity, host species, and historical instances of zoonosis – the transmission of diseases from animals to humans.
Despite being published in the English-language journal Emerging Microbes & Infections back in July, this alarming study only recently gained widespread attention on Chinese social media. This development coincides with reports of Beijing downplaying concerns regarding Covid-19.
Crucially, Chinese virologists have refrained from commenting on Shi’s latest research, likely due to the sensitivities surrounding her work at the controversial Wuhan Institute. Earlier this month, a US federal agency officially announced a 10-year ban on funding for the WIV.
This decision follows US media reports suggesting the possibility of the Covid-19 pandemic originating from a Chinese lab, potentially the Wuhan Institute, which conducted high-risk gain-of-function experiments involving bat coronaviruses, according to The New York Post (NYP). However, US intelligence documents from June stated that there was no definitive evidence supporting the lab leak hypothesis, though it couldn’t be definitively ruled out.
