Doctors have raised the alarm over a brand new virus that has infected dozens of people in China.
‘Langya’ henipavirus — or LayV — was detected in 35 people in the country’s eastern Henan and Shandong provinces.
It belongs to a family of viruses that are known to kill up to three quarters of humans in severe cases.
None of the new cases have resulted in death and most are mild, with patients experiencing flu-like symptoms.
The novel virus is thought to have been passed on by shrews — small mammals from the same family as hedgehogs and moles.
A study published last revealed the virus was first detected in humans in 2019, with the most recent cases this year.
Chinese experts investigating the virus believe human cases are ‘sporadic’. They are still trying to work out if it can spread from person to person.
