Experts who predicted Covid issue fresh warning over new virus
The discovery of a new virus in the US has left health experts uncertain, with some warning it could spark another global pandemic.
The 'Camp Hill virus' was found in shrews in Alabama. It belongs to the same family of viruses as the notorious Nipah and Hendra viruses, which are both well-known for having high death rates and the potential to cause widespread outbreaks.
Researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia revealed this week that the virus, which was found in tissue samples from shrews, has been linked to the family of deadly pathogens that can kill up to 70 per cent of people they infect, reports The Mirror.
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Dr. David Dyjack, a public health expert at the National Environmental Health Association, said: “A virus like this could be threatening to all mankind.”
However, the Camp Hill virus hasn’t infected any humans yet. Known henipaviruses, like Nipah and Hendra, have been linked to severe symptoms such as brain inflammation, kidney damage, and even organ failure.
If the virus were to mutate and infect humans, it could have devastating consequences, especially if it attacks the kidneys like it does in some animals, Dr. Dyjack explained.
He added: “I would say that there are three things that keep me up at night: One is a nuclear war. The second is the implications of a changing climate, and the third is a global pandemic. The Camp Hill virus sits squarely in the bullseye of the pandemic concern."
But other medical experts aren’t so worried. Dr. Donald Burke, who correctly predicted the global Coronavirus pandemic two decades ago, said the Camp Hill virus is unlikely to cause an epidemic just yet.
The virus is still too new to predict a pandemic, and scientists are currently figuring out if it can even spread between humans, MailOnline reports.
Dr Adam Hume, a virologist at Boston University, wasn't too concerned either.
He said: “At this point we don't know enough about it. Maybe someday in the future, we would be able to sort of determine [transmissibility and virulence].”
What makes the discovery especially worrying is that Camp Hill virus belongs to the henipavirus family, which has already caused deadly outbreaks. The Langya virus is a close relative of the Camp Hill virus, and is another henipavirus that jumped from shrews to humans in China.
