Doctor who discovered Ebola warns of more viruses after COVID-19
'We are now in a world where new pathogens will come out.'
The coronavirus is only the first of what could potentially be a handful of undiscovered viruses, a doctor warned.
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Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, a member of the research team which investigated the first case of Ebola in 1976, said the probability of new diseases and viruses is inevitable, according to CNN.
“We are now in a world where new pathogens will come out,” he said to CNN. “And that’s what constitutes a threat for humanity.”
Dr. Muymebe now runs the Congo’s National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa where he leads research and warns of potential deadly viruses. CNN reported, the INRB is supported by Japan, the US, the World Health Organization, the EU and other international donors including NGOs, foundations and academic institutions.
“If a pathogen emerged from Africa it will take time to spread all over the world,” Muyembe said. “So, if this virus is detected early — like in my institution here — there will be opportunity for Europe [and the rest of the world] to develop new strategies to fight these new pathogens.”
“We’ve all got to be frightened,” said Dr. Dadin Bonkole to CNN. He is currently treating a patient for what is likely Ebola, but considered that the unidentified person could have a hypothetical, “Disease X.”
He continued, “Ebola was unknown. Covid was unknown. We have to be afraid of new diseases.”
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Muyembe attributed human discovery and exploration as one factor that could add to the probability of a new disease.
“If you go in the forest … you will change the ecology; and insects and rats will leave this place and come to the villages … so this is the transmission of the virus, of the new pathogens,” Muyembe said according to the news outlet.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, parts of the disease are still relatively unknown. According to the Guardian, the COVID-19 virus has mutated, regular behavior for a virus, however, still warrants attention. Experts informed the outlet they are concerned the new strain is more transmissible. Still, this does not mean it has worse health outcomes.
“Now more than ever, it’s clear why we need a proactive strategy to eliminate Covid altogether,” stated Prof Devi Sridhar the chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, and author of the article.
theGrio reported some health experts believe the vaccines developed against coronavirus should still work against the mutated strain.
“It stands to reason that this mutation isn’t a threat, but you never know,” Dr. Nelson Michael, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research at Walter Reed, said according to the report. “We still have to be diligent and continue to look.”
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