">
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Media
    • Music
    • Video
    • Audio
  • Home
PLUS 233
">
  • Home
  • News
    • Diaspora
    • Peace & Security
    • Press Release
    • Regional News
  • Africa
    Ho Melcom Attacked By Robbers

    Updated: Ho Melcom Armed Robbery

    Ho Melcom Attacked By Robbers

    [Video] Ho Melcom Attacked By Armed Robbers

    LOST TINS

    LOST TINS

    GET A TIN

    GET A TIN

    Nanatel Bridge near Ho Main market flooded after heavy rainfall [video]

    Nanatel Bridge near Ho Main market flooded after heavy rainfall [video]

    All The District Offices For NSS Registration Process

    Requirements and guidelines to book appointment for National service verification

    Volta Region records second Covid-19 death

    Female patient died of infectious covid-19 in Ho, Volta Region

    Bishop Nyarko’s Mother Exposes Pastor Who Took GH¢2,200 From Her To Heal Him

    Bishop Nyarko’s Mother Exposes Pastor Who Took GH¢2,200 From Her To Heal Him

    28 covid19 patients recovers in Volta region, 15 discharged home

    28 covid-19 patients recovers in Volta region, 15 discharged home

  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Technology
  • Education
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Politics
    NPP considering e-voting for parliamentary primaries in June

    NPP considering e-voting for parliamentary primaries in June

    Continuous neglect of Anlo

    Volta youth to Akufo-Addo – Continuous neglect of Anlo becoming ‘legendary’

    Dr. Letsa, Volta regional minister jabs critics over ‘recommissioning’ of ambulances

    Dr. Letsa, Volta regional minister jabs critics over ‘recommissioning’ of ambulances

    NDC sabotaging EC because Charlotte Osei was kicked out – Governance Expert

    NDC sabotaging EC because Charlotte Osei was kicked out – Governance Expert

    Trending Tags

    • ShowBiz
      • Lifestyle
      • Fashion
      • Concert
    • Features
      • Relationship
      • Opinion
      • Speeches
      • Poem
    • World
    • Media
      • Audio
      • Music
      • Video
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • News
      • Diaspora
      • Peace & Security
      • Press Release
      • Regional News
    • Africa
      Ho Melcom Attacked By Robbers

      Updated: Ho Melcom Armed Robbery

      Ho Melcom Attacked By Robbers

      [Video] Ho Melcom Attacked By Armed Robbers

      LOST TINS

      LOST TINS

      GET A TIN

      GET A TIN

      Nanatel Bridge near Ho Main market flooded after heavy rainfall [video]

      Nanatel Bridge near Ho Main market flooded after heavy rainfall [video]

      All The District Offices For NSS Registration Process

      Requirements and guidelines to book appointment for National service verification

      Volta Region records second Covid-19 death

      Female patient died of infectious covid-19 in Ho, Volta Region

      Bishop Nyarko’s Mother Exposes Pastor Who Took GH¢2,200 From Her To Heal Him

      Bishop Nyarko’s Mother Exposes Pastor Who Took GH¢2,200 From Her To Heal Him

      28 covid19 patients recovers in Volta region, 15 discharged home

      28 covid-19 patients recovers in Volta region, 15 discharged home

    • Business
      • Agriculture
      • Economy
      • Energy
      • Finance
      • Technology
    • Education
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Politics
      NPP considering e-voting for parliamentary primaries in June

      NPP considering e-voting for parliamentary primaries in June

      Continuous neglect of Anlo

      Volta youth to Akufo-Addo – Continuous neglect of Anlo becoming ‘legendary’

      Dr. Letsa, Volta regional minister jabs critics over ‘recommissioning’ of ambulances

      Dr. Letsa, Volta regional minister jabs critics over ‘recommissioning’ of ambulances

      NDC sabotaging EC because Charlotte Osei was kicked out – Governance Expert

      NDC sabotaging EC because Charlotte Osei was kicked out – Governance Expert

      Trending Tags

      • ShowBiz
        • Lifestyle
        • Fashion
        • Concert
      • Features
        • Relationship
        • Opinion
        • Speeches
        • Poem
      • World
      • Media
        • Audio
        • Music
        • Video
      No Result
      View All Result
      PLUS 233
      No Result
      View All Result
      ">

      Bats are not to blame for coronavirus. Humans are

      by Kweku Jasper
      March 25, 2020
      in Health, News, World
      8 min read
      0
      Bats are not to blame for coronavirus. Humans are
      ShareShareShareShareShare
      ">
      Listen Now
      ">
      ">
      ">

      RelatedPosts

      The World is on Break

      Ho Municipal Hospital suspends operations after recording two COVID-19 cases

      Volta Region records second Covid-19 death

      (CNN)-Reclusive, nocturnal, numerous — bats are a possible source of thecoronavirus. Yet some scientists concur they are not to blame for the transfer of the disease that’s changingdaily life— humans are.

      Zoologists and disease experts have told CNN that changes to human behavior — the destruction of natural habitats, coupled with the huge number of fast-moving people now on Earth — has enableddiseasesthat were once locked away in nature to cross into people fast.
      Scientists are still unsure where the virus originated, and will only be able to prove its source if they isolate a live virus in a suspected species — a hard task.
      But viruses that are extremely similar to the one that causes Covid-19 have been seen in Chinese horseshoe bats. That has led to urgent questions as to how the disease moved from bat communities — often untouched by humans — to spread across Earth. The answers suggest the need for a complete rethink of how we treat the planet.

      Bats are a possible source of the coronavirus, but some scientists say humans are to blame for the spread of the disease.

      Bats are a possible source of the coronavirus, but some scientists say humans are to blame for the spread of the disease.
      Bats are the only mammal that can fly, allowing them to spread in large numbers from one community over a wide area, scientists say. This means they can harbor a large number of pathogens, or diseases. Flying also requires a tremendous amount of activity for bats, which has caused their immune systems to become very specialized.
      “When they fly they have a peak body temperature that mimics a fever,” said Andrew Cunningham, Professor of Wildlife Epidemiology at the Zoological Society of London. “It happens at least twice a day with bats — when they fly out to feed and then they return to roost. And so the pathogens that have evolved in bats have evolved to withstand these peaks of body temperature.”
      Cunningham said this poses a potential problem when these diseases cross into another species. In humans, for example, a fever is a defense mechanism designed to raise the body temperature to kill a virus. A virus that has evolved in a bat will probably not be affected by a higher body temperature, he warned.
      But why does the disease transfer in the first place? That answer seems simpler, says Cunningham, and it involves an alien phrase that we will have to get used to, as it is one that has changed our lives — “zoonotic spillover” or transfer.
      “The underlying causes of zoonotic spillover from bats or from other wild species have almost always — always — been shown to be human behavior,” said Cunningham. “Human activities are causing this.”
      When a bat is stressed — by being hunted, or having its habitat damaged by deforestation — its immune system is challenged and finds it harder to cope with pathogens it otherwise took in its stride. “We believe that the impact of stress on bats would be very much as it would be on people,” said Cunningham.
      “It would allow infections to increase and to be excreted — to be shed. You can think of it like if people are stressed and have the cold sore virus, they will get a cold sore. That is the virus being ‘expressed.’ This can happen in bats too.”

      Pathogens that have evolved in bats can withstand a high body temperature, so a human fever will not work as a defense mechanism.

      Pathogens that have evolved in bats can withstand a high body temperature, so a human fever will not work as a defense mechanism.
      In the likely epicenter of the virus — the so-called wet-markets of Wuhan, China — where wild animals are held captive together and sold as delicacies or pets, a terrifying mix of viruses and species can occur.
      “If they are being shipped or held in markets, in close proximity to other animals or humans,” said Cunningham, “then there is a chance those viruses are being shed in large numbers.” He said the other animals in a market like that are also more vulnerable to infection as they too are stressed.
      “We are increasing transport of animals — for medicine, for pets, for food — at a scale that we have never done before,” said Kate Jones, Chair of Ecology and Biodiversity at University College London.
      “We are also destroying their habitats into landscapes that are more human-dominated. Animals are mixing in weird ways that have never happened before. So in a wet market, you are going to have a load of animals in cages on top of each other.”

      Kate Jones, Chair of Ecology and Biodiversity at University College London, said increasing transport of animals and habitat destruction meant animals were mixing in ways they never had before.

      Kate Jones, Chair of Ecology and Biodiversity at University College London, said increasing transport of animals and habitat destruction meant animals were mixing in ways they never had before.
      Cunningham and Jones both pointed to one factor that means rare instances of zoonotic spillover can turn into global problems in weeks. “Spillovers from wild animals will have occurred historically, but the person who would have been infected would probably have died or recovered before coming into contact with a large number of other people in a town or in a city,” said Cunningham.
      “These days with motorized transport and planes you can be in a forest in central Africa one day, and in a city like central London the next.”
      Jones agreed. “Any spillover you might have had before is magnified by the fact there is so many of us, and we are so well connected.”
      There are two simple lessons, they say, that humanity can learn, and must learn fast.
      First, bats are not to blame, and might actually help provide the solution. “It’s easy to point the finger at the host species,” said Cunningham.
      “But actually it’s the way we interact with them that has led to the pandemic spread of the pathogen.” He added that their immune systems are poorly understood and may provide important clues. “Understanding how bats cope with these pathogens can teach us how to deal with them, if they spillover to people.”

      The cause of "zoonotic spillover," or transfer from bats or other wild species, is almost always human behavior, says Professor Andrew Cunningham from the Zoological Society of London.

      The cause of “zoonotic spillover,” or transfer from bats or other wild species, is almost always human behavior, says Professor Andrew Cunningham from the Zoological Society of London.
      Ultimately diseases like coronavirus could be here to stay, as humanity grows and spreads into places where it’s previously had no business. Cunningham and Jones agree this will make changing human behavior an easier fix than developing a vastly expensive vaccine for each new virus.
      The coronavirus is perhaps humanity’s first clear, indisputable sign that environmental damage can kill humans fast too. And it can also happen again, for the same reasons.
      “There are tens of thousands [of viruses] waiting to be discovered,” Cunningham said. “What we really need to do is understand where the critical control points are for zoonotic spillover from wildlife are, and to stop it happening at those places. That will be the most cost-effective way to protect humans.”
      Jones said viruses “are on the rise more because there are so many of us and we are so connected. The chance of more [spillovers into humans] happening is higher because we are degrading these landscapes. Destroying habitats is the cause, so restoring habitats is a solution.”
      The ultimate lesson is that damage to the planet can also damage people more quickly and severely than the generational, gradual shifts of climate change.
      “It’s not OK to transform a forest into agriculture without understanding the impact that has on climate, carbon storage, disease emergence and flood risk,” said Jones. “You can’t do those things in isolation without thinking about what that does to humans.”

       

      Have a question on the coronavirus outbreak? Connect directly with the World Health Organization (WHO) via WhatsApp or Save the following numbers (+41 22 501 76 55) and send “hi” more updates on coronavirus.

       

      Source: By Nick Paton Walsh and Vasco Cotovio,CNN
      Tags: batsCoronavirusZoologists

      Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

      Unsubscribe
      ">
      Previous Post

      Facts Tell: How has China responded to coronavirus crisis?

      Next Post

      Why soap, sanitizer and warm water work against Covid-19 and other viruses

      Kweku Jasper

      I am a multi talented African son growing up in a cold but hot world, where nothing is what it seems to be. I am an optimist by faith, R.N by profession, Web developer by practice, Tech preacher by decision, promoter by love, blogger by inspiration, photographer by occupation, marketer by calling, sitirist by tribe, entrepreneur by origin, events manager by love, non bias and rich by choice, illustrious by divine arrangement and Ghanaian by law. Simply put, I am all things to all men at all times.

      Related Posts

      The world is on break
      World

      The World is on Break

      May 25, 2020
      Ho Municipal Hospital suspends operations after recording two COVID-19 cases
      Health

      Ho Municipal Hospital suspends operations after recording two COVID-19 cases

      May 21, 2020
      Volta Region records second Covid-19 death
      Health

      Volta Region records second Covid-19 death

      May 16, 2020
      28 Persons Who Died From COVID-19
      Health

      GHS Provides Details Of The 28 Persons Who Died From COVID-19

      May 16, 2020
      30 health officials at Ho Teaching Hospital ordered to self-quarantine
      Health

      30 health officials at Ho Teaching Hospital ordered to self-quarantine

      May 14, 2020
      28 covid19 patients recovers in Volta region, 15 discharged home
      Health

      28 covid-19 patients recovers in Volta region, 15 discharged home

      May 14, 2020
      Next Post
      Why soap, sanitizer and warm water work against Covid-19 and other viruses

      Why soap, sanitizer and warm water work against Covid-19 and other viruses

      Browse by Category

      Popular Stories

      • Hanta virus is the new spreading infection in China amidst coronavirus crisis

        Hanta virus is the new spreading infection in China amidst coronavirus crisis

        12740 shares
        Share 12740 Tweet 0
      • How To Apply For 2020 Ministry Of Health Recruitment For Nurses

        486 shares
        Share 486 Tweet 0
      • [Video] Ho Melcom Attacked By Armed Robbers

        616 shares
        Share 616 Tweet 0
      • Step by Step guidelines to Print and Submit National Service Appointment Letters 2020/2021

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      • Fire Guts Ho Central Assemblies of God Church Auditorium

        0 shares
        Share 0 Tweet 0
      ">
      PLUS 233

      Your No.1 hub for news, sports, business, opinions and entertainment.

      Categories

      • Africa
      • Audio
      • Business
      • Crime
      • Economy
      • Education
      • Fashion
      • Features
      • Finance
      • Health
      • Latest
      • Legal tips
      • Lifestyle
      • Music
      • News
      • Opinion
      • Peace & Security
      • Poem
      • Politics
      • Press Release
      • Regional News
      • Relationship
      • ShowBiz
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Video
      • World

      Contact Us

      Are you an eyewitness? Doyouwant to promote your business. Submit your info, stories and articles nowvia news@plus233.com

      • About
      • Advertise
      • sitemap
      • Privacy & Policy
      • Contact

      © 2020 plus233.com - Powered by K J Media.

      No Result
      View All Result
      • Home
      • News
        • Diaspora
        • Peace & Security
        • Press Release
        • Regional News
      • Africa
      • Business
        • Agriculture
        • Economy
        • Energy
        • Finance
        • Technology
      • Education
      • Health
      • Sports
      • Politics
      • ShowBiz
        • Lifestyle
        • Fashion
        • Concert
      • Features
        • Relationship
        • Opinion
        • Speeches
        • Poem
      • World
      • Media
        • Audio
        • Music
        • Video

      © 2020 plus233.com - Powered by K J Media.

      This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.