Netherlands - Scientists in the
Netherlands have tinkered around with the H5N1 virus, more commonly known
as bird flu. With just a “handful” of alterations made to
the virus, it can now be passed to animals through the air. Scientists
warn that if the virus gets out and can alter once again to spread from
animal to human, and then from human to human, it will be the deadliest
pandemic known in history.
Dr. Ron Fouchier, a virologist at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, said "What shocked the researchers was how easy it had been. Just a few mutations was all it took to make the virus go airborne.
This is the same virus they changed that I mentioned last week. In that piece, I made mention of the fact the U.S. government asked the scientists taking part in the research not to divulge the details. The request was made so that "hostile governments or rogue scientists" won't use it for malicious intentions.
Despite the fact they usually resist censorship of any kind, journal editors say they're taking the request seriously. Scientists with the project are also following the government's recommendation out of fear of terrorist actions, citing the information is too dangerous to share.
Biosecurity experts expressed the idea just creating the modified virus should not have been allowed, as its original form is already pretty deadly. They worry the virus may somehow spread from the laboratory or be stolen.
 |
| Dr. Ron Fouchier |
Dr. Ron Fouchier, a virologist at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, said "What shocked the researchers was how easy it had been. Just a few mutations was all it took to make the virus go airborne.
This is the same virus they changed that I mentioned last week. In that piece, I made mention of the fact the U.S. government asked the scientists taking part in the research not to divulge the details. The request was made so that "hostile governments or rogue scientists" won't use it for malicious intentions.
Despite the fact they usually resist censorship of any kind, journal editors say they're taking the request seriously. Scientists with the project are also following the government's recommendation out of fear of terrorist actions, citing the information is too dangerous to share.
Biosecurity experts expressed the idea just creating the modified virus should not have been allowed, as its original form is already pretty deadly. They worry the virus may somehow spread from the laboratory or be stolen.
The bird flu It already causes the exceptionally high death rate of more than 50 percent n
humans. The only thing stopping it from becoming a worldwide pandemic is that it doesn't often infect people. In the few cases when it does happen it almost never transmits to another person.
No comments:
Post a Comment