Connect with us

World

Why the next pandemic could emerge from Brazil’s Amazon, home to thousands of bats


In the depths of the Amazon rainforest scientists say the world’s next pandemic could start from a cave like the Planaltina cave, which stretches more than 1.5 kilometers deep and is home to thousands of bats.
Many more caves like it exist throughout the Amazon.
Countless habitats – and bat species native to them – remain completely unstudied or undiscovered. Brazil itself hosts the third highest number of bat species in the world.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Some of the world’s most devastating viruses have emerged from bats. Scientists are studying how and why, in hopes of preventing future pandemics like COVID-19. But with limited funding, nine scientists interviewed by Reuters say they don’t expect to unravel these pathogenic mysteries anytime soon.
And researchers say humanity has been lucky to avoid a major viral spillover from the region so far.
“If you don’t do this now, there may be other outbreaks in the future and end up in the situation we are in today of not knowing where this outbreak comes from, where SARS-CoV-2 comes from. And that’s a big problem, because if we don’t know how to identify the path that this virus took, the evolutionary question and how it got to man, we can’t fight it,” Sebastien Charneau, a professor at the Biology Institute at the University of Brasilia, told Reuters.
Brazil has more land than any other country where conditions are ripe for a virus to spill over from bats to humans – so-called ‘jump zones.’
A Reuters analysis found that Brazilian jump zones have grown more than 40 percent over the past two decades. That’s 2.5 times faster than similarly risky areas worldwide.
Driving the risk is rapid deforestation of the Amazon region. Scientists say deforestation causes stress in bats and some studies have found that stressed bats could carry more viruses and shed more germs in their saliva, urine and feces.
“It is very sad to know that we have great potential to discover and prevent new epidemics, new pandemics and this is not being taken into account, nobody is thinking about it. On the contrary, we are currently having a very large investment in dismantling the environment,” said Ludmilla Aguiar, a biologist at the University of Brasilia.
Destruction of bat habitat soared during the administration of Jair Bolsonaro – a far-right populist. His government rolled back environmental regulations and slashed funding for scientific research. On his watch, Brazil’s health system buckled under COVID-19.
Bolsonaro left the presidency in January 2023. His lawyer said the former president declined to comment.
Scientists and health experts warn the country is still ill-equipped to spot a dangerous pathogen – despite chances of a novel virus emerging from the region being high.
Bolsonaro’s successor – President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – has promised to eliminate deforestation in Brazil by 2030.
But that would require him to revamp Brazilian law – and powerful legislators allied with Brazil’s farm lobby won't make his efforts easy.
A farm caucus representative told Reuters that the group supports his efforts to halt illegal deforestation, but that legal tree clearing is needed to guarantee food and energy security.
Lula’s health ministry said it monitors the risk of zoonotic spillover daily through several networks and programs and it's studying ways to improve surveillance.
Meanwhile, deforestation is continuing at a steady pace. Each new incursion offers another opportunity increases for a new and deadly pathogen to spill over – and spread to the rest of Brazil – and to the world.
Read more:

China pushes back at WHO criticism over delayed Wuhan data

UAE’s Sheikh Mohamed, French president Macron discuss ties, COP28 in Paris

China must be ‘more honest’ on COVID origins, envoy says

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

Continue Reading

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

Continue Reading

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

Continue Reading

Trending