The world's leading "virus hunters" come together to stop the spread of epidemics in the future by mapping all viruses in wild animals that can infect humans in wild animals.
The aim of the project, which is carried out by the scientific cooperation organization called Global Virome Project, is to detect over one million potentially dangerous viruses for ten years. Researchers say that the model to be implemented is similar to scientific collaboration in reading human DNA in the early 2000s.
Researchers want to collect genetic material from the disease virus in an international database, to record which animals they are in and identify the risk environments for infection.
Compared with the huge economic losses in the corona epidemic, the project's budget is estimated to be a very low amount of about $ 10 billion over a 1,5-year period.
"The project is not about waiting for viruses to find us, but to stop them before they infect people," said Dennis Carrol, head of the Global Virome Project, emphasizing that the relative cost of the Project is very low considering the effects on the world economy during the covid-19 outbreak.
"The target is to map out the most dangerous viruses before hitting humanity and reach tests, vaccines and drugs," said Dennis Carrol.
Carrol said that until now, China and Thailand have shown interest in financing the project and will adapt their own national programs according to the project.
Hibya News Agency
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