What we know about Langya, the new virus detected in China
A new virus that can jump from animals to humans has been detected in China with 35 people already infected, according to Taiwan's Centres for Disease Control (CDC).
It has been called Langya henipavirus (LayV) - and has been found across two provinces in eastern China.
According to reports this is the first time the virus has been detected in humans.
Here's everything we know about the Langya henipavirus so far.
READ MORE: Single cause 'aggravating' more than half of known human diseases
What is Langya virus?
LayV is an example of an Zoonotic Henipavirus.
The virus is in the Henipavirus family. Two species have been identified before; the Hendra virus - first detected in the Brisbane suburb of the same name - and Nipah virus, both cause severe infections and are sometimes fatal.
The World Health Organisation classifies Henipavirus as a biosafety Level 4 threat. Case fatality rates range between 40 and 75 per cent, data suggests.
No deaths have been reported from LayV.
What makes a virus zoonotic?
A zoonotic disease is defined as an infectious disease transmitted between species; either from animals to humans, or from humans to animals.
Examples of zoonotic viruses include, COVID-19, monkeypox and Hendra virus (HeV).
READ MORE: Australia secures doses of next-generation monkeypox vaccine
A 3D illustration of Hendra virus, a bat-borne virus associated with a highly fatal infection in horses and humans. Getty Images/iStockphoto
What is the origin of the Langya virus?
Test results from more than two dozen wild animals suggests the shrew - a small mole-like mammals - might be a natural reservoir of LayV.
Existing patients had a history of contact with animals, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine said.
READ MORE: Thousands stranded after China holiday hotspot's snap lockdown
Shrews are believed to be the natural reservoir of of LayV. Getty Images/iStockphoto
What are the symptoms of Langya virus?
Symptoms of LayV include: fever, fatigue, a cough, loss of appetite, muscle pain, nausea, headache and vomiting.
Has Langya virus been detected outside of China?
No cases outside of China have been reported.
The study also said human-to-human transmission of LayV has not been observed.
"Contact tracing of nine patients with 15 close-contact family members revealed no close-contact LayV transmission," researchers wrote, before adding:
"But our sample size was too small to determine the status of human-to-human transmission for LayV."
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
