Almost three years after the Covid-19 virus was detected in China , another new virus has emerged in China. According to the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) ‘ Zoonotic virus – Langya virus’ has been found in China and about 35 people found to be infected from it so far.
Media reports claim that Taiwan will introduce nucleic acid testing methods to identify and monitor the virus infection.The cases of this virus have been found in Shandong and Henan provinces of China. Experts said that the virus was found in throat samples from febrile patients in the aforementioned provinces.
Chuang Jen-hsiang, deputy director general of Taiwan’s CDC, said that the new virus is also called Langya Henipavirus or the LayV and initial studies have revealed that the virus does not transmit from person to person. However, the examinations are under way and it is just a preliminary report. Health authorities in China have asked the government to be vigilant until more information about the virus comes.
Giving information about the survey conducted on domestic animals, he said that so far 2 percent of the cases have been found in goats and 5 percent in dogs.
He said the results of tests conducted on 25 wild animal species indicated that shrews (a small rodent-like insectivorous mammal) could be the main source of transmission of Langya virus .
Officials said that this new virus belongs to the same family as deadly virus Nipah, which is typically found in bats.