‘Zombie virus’ from Arctic could trigger the next pandemic, say scientists

Scientists have warned that a major outbreak and a global medical emergency could be potentially be triggered due to these viruses which have been buried in the ice for 48,500 years.

Hyderabad: Scientists have warned that humanity is facing a bizarre pandemic threat, as permafrost in the Arctic is now melting, posing a danger of ‘zombie viruses‘ releasing.

According to a report published by The Guardian, scientists have warned that a major outbreak and a global medical emergency could be potentially be triggered due to these viruses which have been buried in the ice for 48,500 years.

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Geneticist Jean-Michel Claverie of Aix-Marseille University, highlighted that the viruses are potential agents for a new disease outbreak.

“At the moment, analyses of the pandemic threats focus on diseases that might emerge in southern regions of the world and spread to the north,” says Claverie.

“By contrast, little attention has been given to an outbreak that might emerge in the far north and then travel south – and that is an oversight, I believe. There are viruses up there that have a potential to infect humans and start a new disease outbreak,”  the geneticist added.

Scientists are also proposing an Arctic monitoring network that could identify the early infections in order to counter the potential of these diseases from the past to spread now. The network, as proposed by the experts could also provide quarantine help and expert medical treatment to those who are infected and prevent the spread of the diseases.

Scientists cite the examples of nipah virus and monkeypox to point out that the resurgence of these ancient viruses could be because of the heavy land usage. They also stated that both the diseases were caused by pathogens which had transferred into humans due to the use of land.

Mining activities in or close to the region could potentially accelerate the global health risk, are miners become heavily prone to breathing the viruses that have been buried for thousands of years, warned the scientists.