A Tale of Two Viruses: #Smallpox strains variola major & minor share 98% genetics but differ vastly in IFR (1% vs 30%). Now, #SARSCoV2 variants like BA.2.86 are ~99.6% similar to the original. In <10yrs, we could reach Smallpox-level diversity. Small changes, BIG risks—deadly #COVID19 variants with IFRs like #SARS or #MERS could emerge.

#EpiVerse

Researchers describe 4 species of coronaviruses, including 2 novel ones, among 16 native bat species in the United Kingdom.

None are currently capable of infecting humans, but they do have similarities to those that cause COVID-19 and MERS

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/researchers-say-bats-uk-harbor-novel-coronaviruses

#covid #COVID19 #CovidIsNotOver #coronavirus #bats #uk #MERS #pandemic

A very interesting title, after reading the pandemic preparedness plans of a few countries :
- After #SARS 2002, most of the pandemic units were dismantled a few years later and the sentinel scientists were not in contact with each other on the matter.
- The #MERS in 2012 was not a wake-up call.
- The #SARSCoV2 sentinel units have already been dismantled and yet #COVIDIsNotOver
- Would it be possible for states to give a generic name to an agent that causes a #pandemic?

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-prepared-for-the-wrong-pandemic-covid-inquiry-told-as-it-opened-for-first-time-12901836?s=09

Otter et al, 2023: #SARSCoV2 achieved the highest viral loads in a nasal cavity-lining culture, ~10x higher than #MERS-CoV & HCoV-NL63, a seasonal #coronavirus. It also damaged more cells than HCoV-NL63 at 192h post-infection (but not stat. significant).
https://www.reddit.com/r/COVIDZero/comments/1365z96/otter_et_al_2023_sarscov2_achieved_the_highest/

A Chinese study warned SARS-CoV-2 [CFR ~1%] could combine with the MERS virus [CFR ~35%].

If a person catches SARS and MERS at the same time through neighboring receptors and the two viruses combine, we could have a whole new pandemic on our hands.
... a few cell types have both ACE2 and DPP4 receptors [used by SARS and MERS, respectively], “providing an opportunity for coinfection by both SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV.”

#SARS #MERS #pandemic #COVID

https://www.thedailybeast.com/scientists-fear-catastrophic-covid-combination-with-mers-virus

It is almost literally criminal that the GOP blocks funding (a few billion a year) to keep track of new and old viruses around the world
https://mas.to/@GMIK69@mstdn.science/110116990866356729

#COVID19 #MERS #SARS

Corinne Lepage : « Il faut lier les questions de santé, de biodiversité et de climat »⁦@lanouvellerep_⁩ #nucleaire #pollution #mers ⁦@HLAvocats⁩ https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/a-la-une/corinne-lepage-il-faut-lier-les-questions-de-sante-de-biodiversite-et-de-climat

🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/corinnelepage/status/1634843030891921412

RT @ChantalBritt
Vor 3 Jahren ging ich abends unbeschwert und ohne Maske ans Chorkonzert. Ich wusste nicht, dass ich ein erhöhtes Risiko hatte, an #MECFS zu erkranken. Ich wusste nicht, dass sich einige Menschen von #SARS1, #MERS oder #EBV #NieErholt hatten.
3 Jahre #LongCovid in 18 Tweets
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RT @ECDC_Outbreaks: Our weekly bulletin on active #PublicHealth threats is out now!

This issue focuses on:
- #COVID19,
- #strepA
- #influenza & #influenza #AH5N1
- #MERS
- #Mpox
- #poliomyelitis
- #Marburg virus disease
- Earthquakes in Türkiye & Syria.

Read: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/communicable-disease-threats-report-week-9-27-february-5-march-2023

🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/ECDC_EU/status/1631720184632229888

There are worse coronaviruses coming. They broke out around 2000, and #covid wasn't even necessarily the worst of them. MERS had a 39% kill rate, albeit not nearly as infectious as covid.

But someday, a #coronavirus with the deadliness of #MERS will combine with the infectiousness of Covid-19, and the only agile vax response will be #mRNA. It will be then that some of those antivax lunatics who went all in on anti-mRNA will come back to reality.

But the others won't be coming back.

She’s a good writer
This piece mentions the “‘mysterious ailment” afflicting people in the #UK, which she thinks is likely #MERS.
She calls the #UK a failed state given the enormous strikes, the terrible fuel and wage situation, and the in-shock #NHS
Worth a read ✅

https://jessicawildfire.substack.com/p/the-social-collapse-has-started?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=auto_share&r=1age8

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/19/china-covid-waves-winter-cities-quiet
interesting🇨🇳chief epidemiologist warning of 3 winter waves based on holidays but probs also in anticipation of different #variantsofsarscov2 burning through

How many waves for spring & summer?

I mean, they’re totally lying about #Covid deaths #coverUp but at least they are warning people unlike some countries… #ABC #MERS #Ebola #RSV 🙄🙄

@yaneerbaryam
#CamelPageant

What could go wrong? Why not throw strains of MERS and SARS2 together to see what comes out? 🤦 🤯

Several journalists dropped dead, there are reports of multiple French players sick from some mystery disease.

Here's hoping whatever was cooked up in Qatar stays contained. Recent history doesn't give me much hope though.

#MERS #Sars2 #CovidIsNotOver

Very good summary of #MERS in this article.

"MERS: What to Know About the #Virus and if it Will Spread After the World Cup"

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/mers-what-to-know-about-the-virus-and-if-it-will-spread-after-the-world-cup

A 2021 study suggested covid and #mers merging is possible, and concluded that "proactive measures should be implemented to mitigate the chances of both viral genomes recombining."

Qatar didn't get that memo, apparently, and actually held a camel pageant (i shit you not) concurrently with the world cup.

Now we have official reports that French players are sick with mers (which, again, is known to kill 3-4 out of 10 people infected) and precious little additional info.

https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8242116/

@EckerleIsabella posted on birdchan a few days ago that #MERS can't easily spread between humans. so either the french players have something else or mers has started spreading more easily between humans? i'd love to know more...

anyone got more info on #mers? i'm confused by stories from yesterday saying Middle East Respiratory virus a) only spreads from camels to people; b) has infected 3 french world cup players; c) kills 35% of infected people. what's going on with this?

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/mers-what-to-know-about-the-virus-and-if-it-will-spread-after-the-world-cup

RT @gustave54969486
@DoeSpam @tigresseleanor @guardian_xcu @EnemyInAState #MERS 6 cases confirmed in three countries but not connected to Football just to camels https://twitter.com/gustave54969486/status/1604192383838687235

Oh hey, #MERS, welcome to the party! RSV, #Covid, and Influenza A are already here.

RT @healthgovau@twitter.com

✈If you’ve been to the #FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar, look out for symptoms of #MiddleEastRespiratorySyndrome (#MERS) including fever, cough, breathing difficulties & diarrhoea.
Seek urgent medical assistance if you feel unwell & may have been exposed
💻http://Health.gov.au/MERS

🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/healthgovau/status/1595915184144801793