Prominent virologist Shi Zhengli, also known as China’s “batwoman”, has warned that the outbreak of a new Covid-like pandemic is “highly likely”, according to a report by Global Times.
The study, conducted by Zhengli and her team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), was published in the July issue of the English-language journal Emerging Microbes & Infections and has recently gained attention on Chinese social media.
The research underscored an ongoing evolutionary battle between coronaviruses and their hosts, fostering genetic diversity in the viruses. After evaluating the possibility of human spillover, the WIV team classified 20 out of 40 coronavirus species as “highly risky”.
The study disclosed evidence that three more of these viruses caused disease or infected other animal species, with six already known to have affected humans.
According to the study, “It is almost certain that there will be further disease emergence and it is highly likely that a (coronavirus) disease will emerge again.”
Contrarily, some Chinese virologists have downplayed the likelihood of a recurrence of the three-year-old global pandemic, citing the increased protection that a majority of the population have acquired which may act as a safeguard against future outbreaks.
However, they have not entirely ruled out the possibility of occasional coronavirus outbreaks in the future.
The new coronavirus, commonly known as SARS-CoV-2, has seen rapid transmission since late 2019.
The Omicron strain has been the predominant variant of concern in most countries since November 2021, as reported in a September 5 paper from Emerging Microbes & Infections.
In light of the potential dual threat of Covid-19 and influenza this autumn and winter, Chinese healthcare professionals are encouraging the public to receive booster vaccinations by the end of October.