A recent study found that animals raised for fur on Chinese farms are harboring dozens of newly identified, highly infectious viruses that could potentially spread to humans. Researchers collected samples from 461 animals that died of disease on these farms and found 125 viruses, 39 of which pose a high risk of cross-species transmission, including influenza and coronaviruses.
This study published in the Nature journal has revealed a worrying trend. Researchers have detected a "Pipistrellus bat HKU5-like virus" in minks, a virus previously identified only in bats and closely related to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) corona virus. Scientists urge for monitoring these viruses and stricter regulations on animal farms to prevent these facilities from becoming breeding grounds for the next global outbreak.
