Detecting new viruses that are lethal

Researchers at Columbia University (USA) yesterday announced the discovery of a new virus lethal in South Africa.

The newly discovered virus, named Lujo, has symptoms of Ebola-like pathology that causes dengue fever. There were five people in South Africa infected with dengue symptoms last summer and four of them died. Samples were taken and transferred to the US Centers for Disease Control and the Columbia University, New York laboratory.

Mice are considered to be a source of new deadly viruses.

According to initial claims by the head of Columbia University's laboratory, Dr. Ian Lipkin, although there are no clear conclusions, it may be possible to mediate the virus to humans. According to Dr Ian Lipkin, "this is a really aggressive virus."

The plague began with a female living in Lusaka, Zambia in September last year, with high fever symptoms and the later she became worse. The woman was transferred by plane to a hospital in Johannesburg in South Africa and died there. A female nurse who took care of the female patient was then infected. The other three victims are those who took care of the above women.

Researchers believe that the virus's mode of transmission is via saliva, from one person to another. When invading the human body, this virus will cause high fever, internal or external bleeding, which weakens and dies.