(Image source from: business-standard.com)

Scientists have found a new virus that is infecting people of China which has a potential of becoming a pandemic. If not controlled in time, it can become the cause of next flu pandemic, experts say.

While the world is still fighting with coronavirus pandemic, a virus of unknown origin has been infecting people of China lately.

At the time when the World Health Organization is advising health experts to find out the origin of coronavirus, this news comes as a blow to them.

The new virus is reportedly a flu virus that has a capability to trigger a pandemic. While the carriers of this virus are pigs, researchers believe that it can infect humans and can spread through human to human interaction just like in the case of COVID-19.

According to the proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, this virus is almost similar to the swine flu virus that has caused a pandemic in 2009. The virus has been named as G4-EA-H1N1.

Though the new virus is similar to swine flu, it is not completely same but can be a pathogen to humans.

Scientists have marked the new virus in the list of top disease threats according to few reports. They have also said that people do not have the immunity to cope with the new virus along with the coronavirus.

They said, “Such infectivity greatly enhances the opportunity for virus adaption in humans and raises concerns for possible generation of pandemic viruses”.

The researchers have said that though the new virus may not be an immediate threat it might grow and multiply in the respiratory tracts or lungs of human beings. In another warning, the researchers said that COVID-19 pandemic may be followed with another similar health crisis.

The surveillance reports say that 10.4% workers were tested positive for the new G4 EA H1N1 virus and it was recorded mainly among 18 to 35 aged people which indicate that this virus has more infectivity.

By Gayatri Yellayi