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Munich (dpa) - Scientists see a danger for new worldwide pandemics not only in globalization, but also in the increasing number of the world population.

The further penetration of people into nature also contributes to disease outbreaks with widespread spread, warns Munich virologist Ulrike Protzer.

Because in this way people would come into contact with new pathogens that could jump from animals to them and then spread from person to person.

This path is also suspected for Sars-CoV-2.

In addition, the following applies: "The closer people live together - and this is the case with the increase in population, especially in metropolitan areas and mega-cities - the easier it is for a virus to spread," said the director of the Institute of Virology at the Helmholtz Zentrum München and to of the Technical University of Munich of the German Press Agency.

The scientist sees influenza viruses as candidates for a possible future pandemic.

This would always bring unpleasant surprises.

They occur in birds or pigs, and they can easily be transmitted to humans and between humans.

“The influenza viruses have always been in view here.

Now we certainly have to look a lot more at other pathogens such as corona viruses.

And there are a number of other viruses that cause hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola, for example. "

However, these made people sick more seriously.

"This means that they don't spread so easily - since someone who is seriously ill is no longer out and about or gets on a plane."

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The fact that China, of all places, as the country with the first coronavirus cases, is now largely corona-free is due to the radical approach of the authorities there.

“Nobody here would dare to shut down a city of several million because of 100 cases.

And with us, nobody is personally followed, ”says Protzer.

A spread in a free and mobile society is much more difficult to prevent.

"If you want to maintain freedom and mobility, and that's what we want, you have to live with the risk," says Protzer.

But one has learned.

"I believe that we will be faster and more consistent with the next pandemic," said Protzer.

“You don't have to put an entire country into lockdown, but if you identify it somewhere, then you can react very quickly locally.

That is what the Chinese are ultimately showing us. "

When another pandemic could come, is «reading coffee grounds».

“It used to be assumed that there was a pandemic every 100 years.

But in the past people were only mobile in a very small area. "

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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210208-99-345357 / 2

15 kilometer rule in Bavaria

Corona case numbers via LGL

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Ordinance - 11th BayIfSMV

Infection values ​​according to RKI

Homepage Protzer