Key Points
- Scientists are tracking a new virus in China.
- It appears to have infected 35 people so far.
Experts say Australians have 'no need to panic' about the emergence of a new virus in China, which has infected at least 35 people so far.
The virus, named Langya henipavirus (LayV), is thought to have originated from animals, most likely shrews — small furry mammals that resemble mice.
Professor Adrian Esterman, chair of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of South Australia, said while it is important to continue monitoring the virus, there is currently no cause for concern for Australia.
"I don't think there's any need to panic or get worried at this point in time," he said.
"All of the patients in China work with animals, they're mainly farmers, and the Chinese are not reporting any human-to-human transmission ... so I think this one we just keep an eye on and not get too worried about it at the moment."
What do we know about LayV?
Professor Eddie Holmes, from the University of Sydney School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Medical Sciences, said LayV is a relative of the Hendra virus, which in Australia is commonly found in bats and horses.
"It's not really a new virus, it was first described in 2018," he added.
"No-one has died, no one has got seriously ill, and most important of all there is no human-to-human transmission, so it's not really anything to worry about at the moment, but it's something we need to keep watching."
The virus was detected during testing of patients with a recent history of animal exposure in eastern China, according to a report in the
It was initially found in a throat swab from one patient, with 35 patients later identified as having acute infection in the Shandong and Henan provinces in eastern China.
Patients exhibited symptoms including fever, fatigue, cough, nausea and headache.
Among 25 species of wild small animals surveyed, LayV RNA was predominantly detected in shrews.
Among 25 species investigated by scientists, LayV RNA was predominantly detected in shrews. Source: AAP / Mary Evans/Ardea/Duncan Usher
Should Australians be worried?
According to both Professor Esterman and Professor Holmes, there is no reason for Australia to be concerned about LayV.
Professor Holmes said at the moment, the best thing to do is simply "keep watching".
"The warning sign would be if there is human transmission; if that occurs, then I think there would be more concern globally, the World Health Organization would get involved and governments would act, but at the moment there is no evidence of that," he said.
"So the key thing is that the authorities in China keep watching, keep doing surveillance and tell us what's going on. That's critical. As long as we keep surveillance, I think we're actually in a pretty good place."
Professor Esterman agrees.
"We are much more virus-aware at the moment because of COVID-19," he said.
"The thing is... there are well over 200 viruses that cause diseases in humans, and we're discovering three or four every year, so this is not unusual to get a new virus that's being discovered."
Is it similar to COVID-19?
In addition to being a different family of virus, Professor Holmes said LayV differs from COVID-19 in its transmissibility.
"COVID-19 was really very striking because the first we heard about it was that it was spreading very easily among people," he said.
"In the case of this particular virus there is no evidence at all that the virus is passing from person to person ... in each of the cases, the 35 people in China probably got it directly from an animal.
"It's very unlike the situation we see with COVID-19".
