New 'Langya' Virus Found In China Infects Dozens
A new animal virus that can infect people has been identified in eastern China. But scientists say they are not overly concerned because the virus doesn't seem to spread easily between people, nor is it fatal. The newly discovered virus identified as Langya henipavirus or LayV can cause respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, and fatigue, and is closely related to Nipah and Hendra viruses, but cannot spread easily in people. These also cause respiratory infections and can be fatal. Researchers think LayV is carried by shrews, which might have infected people directly or through an intermediate animal. The pathogen did not cause any reported deaths, but was detected in 35 unrelated fever patients in hospitals in Shandong and Henan provinces between 2018 and 2021, the scientists said,
