Scientists aim to stop the devastation of Zika-like pandemics

Killer viruses can ravage countries, but now a new project hopes to spot diseases likely to jump from animals to humansFor several months, health workers have been battling to contain anEbola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A total of 60 cases, 28 of them fatal, have been reported around the town of Mbandaka, though authorities say the outbreak is now under control.Politicians, nevertheless, remain nervous. Thousands died in theWest African Ebola outbreak of 2014 after the virus – which probably spread from infected animals, such as fruit bats – triggered widespread cases of severe, sometimes fatal, internal bleeding.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Infectious diseases Medical research Microbiology Ebola Zika virus Sars Science Health Society World news Africa China Source Type: news