Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum was part of the research team that discovered Ebola Virus Disease in 1976. He has opined that more viruses may follow COVID-19 from the world’s tropical rainforests.
“We are now in a world where new pathogens will come out,”
“And that’s what constitutes a threat for humanity.”
Researchers in the world are battling against a pathogen called “Disease X”, capable of sweeping infectious rates as fast as COVID-19.
Prof. Muyembe has worked on many diseases, after discovering Ebola by the skin of the teeth.
He’s working on many zoonotic diseases considering Congo DR’s “bushmeat” market which are seen as hosts of these diseases.
A foremost author wrote about the need to check humans’ feasting on animals and the degradation of the ecosystem.
He said; “We cut the trees; we kill the animals or cage them and send them to markets. We disrupt ecosystems, and we shake viruses loose from their natural hosts. When that happens, they need a new host. Often, we are it.”
Prof. Tamfum said the world must be watchful of human activities that will encourage the onset of diseases in the environment.
Africa has had increased cases of COVID-19 in the past few weeks with new strains seen in South Africa and Nigeria.