About 30 people in China have been infected with a new variant of the henipa virus. According to Chinese scientists, the virus has spread from animals to humans, but it can also be transmitted between humans.
The new virus, langya henipa, belongs to a family of henipaviruses that have long been known to be dangerous to humans. Among the animals reported to be able to carry the virus are bats, shrews, goats and dogs.
– It belongs to a family that we have known for a long time. There are members of that virus family that are quite scary viruses that can cause very severe illness. But based on studies that have come, the virus is not that dangerous, but knowledge is lacking, says Ali Mirazimi, virus researcher at Karolinska Institutet.
Out of a total of 35 detected cases, 26 have shown symptoms. The most common is fever, but fatigue, cough, muscle pain, headache and nausea have also occurred.
In the player above: Watch the full interview with Ali Mirazimi and hear about the risks of a possible new pandemic.