The other virus that worries Asia

By Harriet Constable

 

REUTERS FILE PHOTO for reference only

 

The death rate for Nipah virus is up to 75% and it has no vaccine. While the world focuses on Covid-19, scientists are working hard to ensure it doesn't cause the next pandemic.

 

It was 3 January 2020, and Supaporn Wacharapluesadee was standing by, awaiting a delivery. Word had spread that there was some kind of respiratory disease affecting people in Wuhan, China, and with the Lunar New Year approaching, many Chinese tourists were headed to neighbouring Thailand to celebrate. Cautiously, the Thai government began screening passengers arriving from Wuhan at the airport, and a few select labs – including Wacharapluesadee's – were chosen to process the samples to try to detect the problem.

 

Wacharapluesadee is an expert virus hunter. She runs the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Disease-Health Science Centre in Bangkok. Over the past 10 years, she's been part of Predict, a worldwide effort to detect and stop diseases that can jump from non-human animals to humans.

 

She and her team have sampled many species. But their main focus has been on bats, which are known to harbour many coronaviruses.

 

Full story: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210106-nipah-virus-how-bats-could-cause-the-next-pandemic

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2021-01-12

 

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More scary news it appears, but leaving a whole lot out of locations and rates of spread.

 

"The disease's long incubation period (reportedly as long as 45 days, in one case) means there is ample opportunity for an infected host, unaware they are even ill, to spread it. It can infect a wide range of animals, making the possibility of it spreading more likely. And it can be caught either through direct contact or by consuming contaminated food."

 

Apparently it has been tracked for awhile, and has been found in Bangladesh, and Cambodia

 

Across 11 different outbreaks of Nipah in Bangladesh from 2001 to 2011, 196 people were detected to have Nipah – 150 died.

 

Does not sound as bad as Covid, but then what else has been in the headlines except Covid.

 

A very long article to read, sounds as if it was possibly written to be made for a television broadcast.

 

 

Thailand's own Bat Woman! Prettier than China's.

 

 

She detected the first COVID-19 case outside of China, using full genome sequencing because there were no covid tests at that time. She did it before China released the genome to the world.

 

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/following-the-a-team-Supaporn-Wacharapluesadee/

 

 

I first read about the Nipah virus when Covid first broke out a year ago. I said here on this forum this will be a test for us if we will be able to handle a much more serious virus like the Nipah virus.

 

Asia has had several outbreaks recently so its pretty fresh in mind. Since the Nipah virus has so high mortality rate, the chances for the virus to become a large scale epidemic, infecting millions, especially in East- and Southeast Asia, is fairly low. Thais mindset allows for easier population control and social effort. Though the chances are obviously there with any high urban density.

 

However, in cultures where the mindset of people are very different, such as in most of the west and in parts of Africa, that's a whole different story. It can potentially lead to the end of western civilization as we know it. We've already seen what pandemics can do (Spanish flu, The plague...), yet the west just seems completely incapable of dealing with Covid-19. It's disappointing and concerning to be honest.

5 hours ago, HOAX said:

I first read about the Nipah virus when Covid first broke out a year ago. I said here on this forum this will be a test for us if we will be able to handle a much more serious virus like the Nipah virus.

 

Asia has had several outbreaks recently so its pretty fresh in mind. Since the Nipah virus has so high mortality rate, the chances for the virus to become a large scale epidemic, infecting millions, especially in East- and Southeast Asia, is fairly low. Thais mindset allows for easier population control and social effort. Though the chances are obviously there with any high urban density.

 

However, in cultures where the mindset of people are very different, such as in most of the west and in parts of Africa, that's a whole different story. It can potentially lead to the end of western civilization as we know it. We've already seen what pandemics can do (Spanish flu, The plague...), yet the west just seems completely incapable of dealing with Covid-19. It's disappointing and concerning to be honest.

CEPI has commissioned several teams to develop competing vaccines for Nipah, so if a major breakout occurs the world may be able to do better.

They lost me at jump from non human animals to humans.  As opposed to what? Jumping from human animals to humans. 

Could we do something like kill all the bats that have the viruses?  Or stay the <deleted> away from them?  Whichever is most effective.

Bat soup anyone?

18 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Could we do something like kill all the bats that have the viruses?  Or stay the <deleted> away from them?  Whichever is most effective.

Bat is back on the menu boys! 

23 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Could we do something like kill all the bats that have the viruses?  Or stay the <deleted> away from them?  Whichever is most effective.

 

The world keeps sending these Bat Women into caves to drag the bats out, to study, in labs.

 

Sure the Thais will ready some 7* hotels with accompanying price tags on this news ????  

We're going to see multiple deadly vira as long as there are humans on this planet , but hopefully this covid-19 has been a wake up call, and governments worldwide will react asap if mysterious outbreaks are happening. 

What about all the stray dogs that have Rabbis that try and bite me every morning when I walk Lets all just lock ourselves in our houses and be scared of everything

 

I am more scared of the Thai drivers to be honest and they dont carry a virus. My car has done 60,000 Klms and i have already worn out a set of brake pads by using my brakes that often to accommodate the idiots on the road

17 hours ago, webfact said:

She and her team have sampled many species.

And there lies the problem, stop eating bats, it isn't difficult.????

Batman won't be happy...

17 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

Batman won't be happy...

He's not!

 

44 minutes ago, Happyman567 said:

What about all the stray dogs that have Rabbis that try and bite me every morning when I walk

Oy vey!

Worth a read.  There are some very deadly viruses out there, just waiting to make the jump to humans.  Scary.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/22/africa/drc-forest-new-virus-intl/index.html

 

Quote

 

Hunting for 'Disease X'

 

In the Congo rainforest, the doctor who discovered Ebola warns of deadly viruses yet to come

 

 

8 hours ago, rabas said:

 

The world keeps sending these Bat Women into caves to drag the bats out, to study, in labs.

 

Yes.  They have all these dangerous viruses that we apparently need to study.  Genius.

2 hours ago, Happyman567 said:

What about all the stray dogs that have Rabbis that try and bite me every morning when I walk Lets all just lock ourselves in our houses and be scared of everything

 

I am more scared of the Thai drivers to be honest and they dont carry a virus. My car has done 60,000 Klms and i have already worn out a set of brake pads by using my brakes that often to accommodate the idiots on the road

You wouldn't think stray dogs would have the time to study the Torah. ????

On 1/11/2021 at 9:43 PM, webfact said:

She and her team have sampled many species.

 

Name and shame those restaurants !

On 1/12/2021 at 6:09 AM, BangkokReady said:

Could we do something like kill all the bats that have the viruses?  Or stay the <deleted> away from them?  Whichever is most effective.

They eat bats all over Asia, - steamed bat for breakfast, quite tasty.

On 1/13/2021 at 7:13 AM, Jeffr2 said:

Worth a read.  There are some very deadly viruses out there, just waiting to make the jump to humans.  Scary.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/22/africa/drc-forest-new-virus-intl/index.html

 

 

This CNN article is very interesting. It describes the early warning system set up in the Congo to detect new emerging threats, even has all the equipment to sequence any new pathogen! 

On 1/13/2021 at 6:25 AM, Happyman567 said:

What about all the stray dogs that have Rabbis that try and bite me every morning when I walk Lets all just lock ourselves in our houses and be scared of everything

 

I am more scared of the Thai drivers to be honest and they dont carry a virus. My car has done 60,000 Klms and i have already worn out a set of brake pads by using my brakes that often to accommodate the idiots on the road

Maybe you should slow down and be more perceptive to what's going on around you. 

In 20 years of driving in Thailand I could count on my 10 fingers the number of times I've had to apply emergency braking, of which a few times was contributed to myself for not remaining fully aware of what's going on. 

On 1/13/2021 at 7:04 AM, PatOngo said:

He's not!

 

Diff... erent , doesn't have a sick buffalo or a live-in "brother" ..... 

1 hour ago, placnx said:

This CNN article is very interesting. It describes the early warning system set up in the Congo to detect new emerging threats, even has all the equipment to sequence any new pathogen! 

Ebola is nasty and has literally ruined several countries.  They're still trying to recover from previous outbreaks.  Horrible.

58 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Ebola is nasty and has literally ruined several countries.  They're still trying to recover from previous outbreaks.  Horrible.

But there are at least two vaccines that work, and ring vaccination is effective provided that the outbreak is in an area where it's safe for medical staff to go.

On 1/13/2021 at 12:13 AM, Jeffr2 said:

Worth a read.  There are some very deadly viruses out there, just waiting to make the jump to humans.  Scary.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/22/africa/drc-forest-new-virus-intl/index.html

 

 

Unfortunately, I do not trust anything that spouts out of CNN! They are the most depressing organization beyond the UN and the BBC.

On 1/12/2021 at 2:19 AM, HOAX said:

I first read about the Nipah virus when Covid first broke out a year ago. I said here on this forum this will be a test for us if we will be able to handle a much more serious virus like the Nipah virus.

 

Asia has had several outbreaks recently so its pretty fresh in mind. Since the Nipah virus has so high mortality rate, the chances for the virus to become a large scale epidemic, infecting millions, especially in East- and Southeast Asia, is fairly low. Thais mindset allows for easier population control and social effort. Though the chances are obviously there with any high urban density.

 

However, in cultures where the mindset of people are very different, such as in most of the west and in parts of Africa, that's a whole different story. It can potentially lead to the end of western civilization as we know it. We've already seen what pandemics can do (Spanish flu, The plague...), yet the west just seems completely incapable of dealing with Covid-19. It's disappointing and concerning to be honest.

Have you seen what happens with ebola in Africa?  Nearly had big spread into France because the French refused to apply travel restrictions because many said it was racist. Luckily, the African countries involved put travel stop in place and had courage with tough application. They saved the EU from a deadly epidemic.  I agree that the west must change its  approach and must stop tolerating selfish people who only think of personal agenda.

The good news is that with the new mRNA vaccine technology, we are in much better place to respond. Covid is a  dry run for next crisis.

 

On 1/12/2021 at 10:04 AM, starky said:

They lost me at jump from non human animals to humans.  As opposed to what? Jumping from human animals to humans. 

yes, humans can transmit to animals. Look at mink farm  in Denmark and Canada.  Now lions and gorillas are infected from care attendnats.

 

On 1/12/2021 at 11:09 AM, BangkokReady said:

Could we do something like kill all the bats that have the viruses?  Or stay the <deleted> away from them?  Whichever is most effective.

 

On 1/12/2021 at 6:25 PM, Happyman567 said:

What about all the stray dogs that have Rabbis that try and bite me every morning when I walk Lets all just lock ourselves in our houses and be scared of everything

 

I am more scared of the Thai drivers to be honest and they dont carry a virus. My car has done 60,000 Klms and i have already worn out a set of brake pads by using my brakes that often to accommodate the idiots on the road

 

The rabbis of dogs try to bite you? I did not know Thai dogs are jewish. This may explain why so many Europeans hate the Thai dogs and want to do harm.   And btw,  some farang drivers are no better than Thai, especially old farangs who have poor reflexes and poor vision. Saw one old farang nearly back up and run down people at Central parking lot. Then he gets out and yells at women he nearly killed. We can always find examples. Have a  go on UK motorway with some of those haulers, or the  almost daily reports of speeding super cars and hit and run deaths.

12 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

some farang drivers are no better than Thai,

 

Hey I resemble that remark.