A novel swine flu strain discovered by Chinese scientists has the potential to start a second pandemic after coronavirus, BBC reported.
According to the researchers, the virus — dubbed G4 EA H1N1 — is increasingly being carried by pigs and has the ability to infect humans. If the virus mutates further, researchers believe it could engage in human-to-human transmission and possibly start another global viral outbreak.
As reported by Science, Martha Nelson, an evolutionary biologist at the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s Fogarty International Center, said the virus is not likely to develop the ability to jump between humans.
“The likelihood that this particular variant is going to cause a pandemic is low,” she said.
Nevertheless, Nelson acknowledged the possibility and pointed out that the H1N1 strain was not known to spread to humans before the first human cases in 2009
“Influenza can surprise us. And there’s a risk that we neglect influenza and other threats at this time.”
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