China's ‘Batwoman’ Virologist Warns Another Coronavirus Epidemic Is Highly Likely

BEIJING: Dr Shi Zhengli, a celebrated Chinese virologist known as "Batwoman" for her extensive study of animal-origin viruses, has sounded a cautionary note regarding the potential emergence of a new coronavirus. Dr Shi has called for global readiness, drawing lessons from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a recent report by the South China Morning Post, Dr Shi, a leading expert in virology in China who has extensively researched bats and their role as carriers of infectious agents that can transmit to humans, has pointed to past occurrences of coronavirus-related illnesses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and the recent Covid-19 pandemic, as indicators of the likelihood of future outbreaks.

 

China’s ‘batwoman’ warns another coronavirus outbreak is ‘highly likely’https://t.co/nMAoQIdz3W — South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) September 24, 2023

 

A study by Dr Shi's team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) assessed the risk associated with 40 different coronavirus species potentially spilling over from animals to humans. Remarkably, they identified half of these as "highly risky." Out of these, six are already known to have caused diseases in humans, while three others have exhibited evidence of potential to infect either humans or other animal species, as per reports from the Hong Kong-based daily.

The study’s conclusions are unequivocal, emphasizing that the future emergence of a deadly disease is almost certain, with another coronavirus outbreak seen as highly probable. This prediction is grounded in a comprehensive analysis of viral characteristics, considering factors such as population dynamics, genetic diversity, host species, and historical instances of zoonosis - the transmission of diseases from animals to humans.

Despite being published in the English-language journal Emerging Microbes & Infections back in July, this alarming study gained widespread attention on Chinese social media only recently. This development aligns with reports of Beijing downplaying concerns about Covid-19.

Notably, Chinese virologists have refrained from commenting on Dr. Shi's latest research, likely due to sensitivities surrounding her work at the controversial Wuhan Institute. Earlier this month, a US federal agency officially announced a 10-year ban on funding for the WIV.

This decision follows US media reports suggesting the possibility of the COVID-19 pandemic originating from a Chinese lab, potentially the Wuhan Institute, which conducted high-risk gain-of-function experiments involving bat coronaviruses, according to The New York Post (NYP). 

However, US intelligence documents from June stated that there was no definitive evidence supporting the lab leak hypothesis, though it couldn’t be definitively ruled out.