Scientist warned for another coronavirus in future

The world must be prepared for it...

Shi Zhengli- one of China’s best-known virologists- also known as “batwoman”, warned that another coronavirus will appear in future in a recent paper written with colleagues. The world must be prepared for another disease like Covid-19 because “if a coronavirus caused diseases to emerge before, there is a high chance it will cause future outbreaks”, she said.

“It is almost certain that there will be future disease emergence and it is highly likely a [coronavirus] disease again,” the study, which is based on an analysis of viral traits, including population, genetic diversity, host species and any previous history of zoonosis, warned

“Sometimes in private conversations, when talking with other public health scholars, we have noticed that intentionally or unintentionally, Chinese authorities are downplaying Covid-19, and some cities have stopped releasing infection data,” a scientist from China's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said as per the report.

Shi Zhengli along with her colleagues identified important hosts of the pathogen, which contain natural hosts such as bats and rodents. They also identified possible intermediate hosts like camels, civets, pigs or pangolin.

“Such studies are not regarded as groundbreaking or technically challenging and thus less valued in the field, but they are important,” the scientist said, adding, “Just like we need a mushroom textbook to avoid eating noxious mushrooms, it’s necessary to establish such tools for pathogens.”