An outbreak of a new virus has been detected in some parts of China after 35 new cases were reported. Originally discovered in 2018, Langya Henipavirus (LayV) originated from the northeastern provinces of Shandong and Henan.
New disease in China 2022
A new zoonotic virus named Langya has been discovered in China. It can cause severe illness in animals and humans, and there are currently no licensed drugs or vaccines meant for humans.
According to a serological survey on domesticated animals, 2 percent of the tested goats and 5 percent of the tested dogs were positive for the Langya virus. The virus was found in 27 percent of the shrew subjects.
The Langya virus is likely transmitted from animal to human, and has been predominantly found in shrews.
The contagiousness of LayV depends on its spreadability and contagiousness. No close contact or common exposure history suggests that LayV is irregularly transmitted among humans.
The Langya virus belongs to the same family as the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses, but so far no related fatalities have been reported.
The most common symptom of the Langya virus appears to be a fever, but several other symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle pain, cough, nausea, headache and vomiting.
Researchers are still unsure whether human-to-human transmission of the virus is possible, but contact tracing revealed no transmission of the virus.
