monkey virus

We shouldn’t be concerned about a lethal virus that jumped species, we are told. Why ever not? It’s a terrifying thought. A virus that can do that poses no real threat, said a spokesperson. Well, that guy is a fool or a liar. If a virus can jump from one species to another (we’ll come to the details in a moment), then nobody is safe and the idea that there is “no threat” is stupid beyond measure. In fact it’s deliberate disinformation. Presumably the authorities or boffins think that people are too stupid to be told the truth. Or the authorities are too stupid to TELL the truth? What got me started on this is a new report on a 2009 outbreak of lethal monkey virus that took place at the University of California, Davis. The virus jumped to a new species—the New World titi monkey—and wiped out over 80% of them. This particular virus did also happen to infect humans but was actually non-fatal. So “no cause to worry”? Only if you like the idea of jumping out of an aeroplane at 10,000 feet without using a parachute!

We shouldn’t be concerned about a lethal virus that jumped species, we are told. Why ever not? It’s a terrifying thought. A virus that can do that poses no real threat, said a spokesperson. Well, that guy is a fool or a liar. If a virus can jump from one species to another (we’ll come to the details in a moment), then nobody is safe and the idea that there is “no threat” is stupid beyond measure. In fact it’s deliberate disinformation. Presumably the authorities or boffins think that people are too stupid to be told the truth. Or the authorities are too stupid to TELL the truth? What got me started on this is a new report on a 2009 outbreak of lethal monkey virus that took place at the University of California, Davis. The virus jumped to a new species—the New World titi monkey—and wiped out over 80% of them. This particular virus did also happen to infect humans but was actually non-fatal. So “no cause to worry”? Only if you like the idea of jumping out of an aeroplane at 10,000 feet without using a parachute!