New bats’ coronavirus present in China makes use of the identical human receptor as Covid-19
Chinese team has found a new bat coronavirus that carries the risk of animal-to-human transmission a month after the UK revealed it is set to launch a national pandemic “wargames” in a bid to prepare for any future end-of-the-world virus
A study led by the “batwoman” in China has found a new bat coronavirus that carries the risk of animal-to-human transmission, as it uses the same human receptor as the virus that causes Covid-19
The team was led by Shi Zhengli, who is best known for working at the Wuhan Institute. The institute has been at the centre of the controversy surrounding the origins of Covid, with one theory suggesting it came from a lab leak in the Chinese city.
There is still no official consensus on the origin of the virus, but some studies suggest it originated in bats and jumped to humans through an intermediate animal host. Shi has denied that the Wuhan Institute was to blame for the outbreak.
The recent discovery at Guangzhou Laboratory and Guangzhou Academy of Sciences discovered a new lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus that was first identified in the Japanese pipistrelle bat in Hong Kong.
The new virus comes from the merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers).
The virus is able to bind to the human angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE2), the same receptor used by the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, to infect cells, raising familiar concerns of animal-to-human submission.
Last month the UK revealed it is set to launch a national pandemic “wargames” in a bid to prepare for any future end-of-the-world virus. Despite still reeling from the very recent coronavirus pandemic that shut the UK down for nearly two years, health officials have confirmed that preparations for the next one are underway.
According to the government, more than 4,000 emergency services workers will be trained every year using a new wargames-style method – which will also include the testing of the country-wide Emergency Alert System which blasts a message to the mobile phone of everyone in the UK.
The first major exercise will take place in autumn, and will be the first of its kind in nearly a decade and is set to be the biggest in UK history.
No exact dates of specific details on what will happen have been given yet, but a spokesman did clarify that it “will help practitioners plan for and manage a range of crises, including pandemics”.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Labour’s Pat McFadden MP, said: “We must learn lessons from the Covid pandemic as we cannot afford to make the same mistakes again. But we will plan in a way that recognises the next crisis may not be the same as the last.
“We agree with the Inquiry that more needs to be done and are announcing measures to make sure that we are as prepared as possible for future pandemics.
“These changes will improve our resilience and preparedness and help to safeguard our citizens.”
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