Chinese Researchers Find 8 New Viruses, Still in the Covid-19 Family Lifestyle – 12 hours ago

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Just as the Covid-19 pandemic ended, a number of Chinese researchers again discovered a threat in the form of eight new viruses on a remote tropical island. They warned that the viruses could infect humans.

Launching from UK Metro, researchers sponsored by the Chinese Society for Microbiology (CSM) took nearly 700 samples from rodents living on Hainan, a small island off China’s southern coast. From these samples, the researchers found eight new viruses, one of which is in the same family as Covid-19.

Based on research, researchers say that these viruses have a high probability of infecting humans if they ever cross species boundaries. Therefore, they recommend further research to determine the impact of the virus on humans.


In published studies Virologica Sinica from CSM, the new study analyzed 682 anal and throat swab samples from various rodents caught in Hainan between 2017 and 2021.

Based on the results of laboratory analysis, there are a number of new viruses, including the new corona virus, which is named CoV-HMU-1. CoV-HMU-1 is a betacoronavirus which is a sub-genre of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

In addition, scientists also discovered several new pathogens in other virus groups, including two new pestiviruses related to yellow fever and dengue fever, one new astrovirus that causes stomach infections, two new parvoviruses that cause flu-like symptoms, and two new papillomavierus which can cause genital warts and cancer in humans.

The researchers highlighted the discovery of these new pestiviruses and parvoviruses as particularly significant as they were found in Edwards’ giant long-tailed rat and the Sikkim rat species.

Previously, no one knew that these two species of mice also harbored types of pathogens. As a result, scientists say that there is a possibility of the existence of other unknown viruses in similar areas in other parts of the world.

“The results of this study expand our knowledge about virus classification and host range, and show that there are very diverse and undiscovered viruses in areas that are difficult to access,” wrote the researchers, quoted on Wednesday (25/10/2023).

“If these viruses cross host boundaries, they are likely to cause zoonoses. The pathogenicity and related impacts of these new viruses in humans and animals need to be further studied,” the research report continued.

Researchers say that rodents carrying potential pathogens pose a major threat in terms of zoonoses. This is because they migrate in groups and gather in densely populated, humid and warm places, such as central and southern China.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

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