Chinese scientists have been busy in their labs, not cooking up a storm, but something far more ominous.
The GX_P2V Saga
They have been experimenting with a mutant COVID-19 strain, known as GX_P2V, that has proven deadly for our furry friends, the mice. Sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, right? But it’s all too real.
This deadly strain made its chilling debut in a study that emerged from Beijing last week. The victims of this experiment were mice, but not just any mice.
The scientists had their reasons, though. They stated, “This underscores a spillover risk of GX_P2V into humans and provides a unique model for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2-related viruses.” So, they’re basically saying, “We did it for science!” Hmm…
The Origin of the Deadly Virus
This lethal virus is a mutated version of GX/2017, a coronavirus cousin discovered in Malaysian pangolins back in 2017, three years before the pandemic hit us.
Remember when the world was pangolin-obsessed for a while? Well, it seems they’ve left us with more than just memories.
The Grim “Humanized” Mice Tale
The story gets grimmer for our mice friends. Every single mouse infected with the virus met its untimely demise within merely eight days.
The researchers observed this as a “surprisingly” rapid death rate. GX_P2V didn’t discriminate, infecting the lungs, bones, eyes, tracheas, and brains of the dead mice.
The brain infection was severe enough to cause their deaths.
In the days leading up to their death, the mice started losing weight rapidly, exhibited a hunched posture, and moved sluggishly.
Most eerily, their eyes turned completely white the day before they died.
The Unprecedented Mortality Rate
Even in the grim world of COVID-19-related viruses, this study stands out. It’s the first of its kind to report a 100% mortality rate in mice infected by the virus, surpassing previously reported results.
However, it’s essential to note that these results don’t clearly indicate how this would impact human beings.
So, while it’s a fascinating (and somewhat terrifying) experiment, we’re not sure how relevant it is to us.
Expert Reactions: Not Everyone is Impressed
Some experts are less than impressed with this study. Francois Balloux, an epidemiology expert at the University College London’s Genetics Institute, slammed the research as “terrible” and “scientifically totally pointless.”
“I can see nothing of vague interest that could be learned from force-infecting a weird breed of humanized mice with a random virus. Conversely, I could see how much stuff might go wrong,” the professor wrote.
He further expressed concerns about the biosafety level and precautions used for the research, stating that the lack of such information raises concerns about the minimal biosafety containment and practices essential for research.
Richard H. Ebright, professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Rutgers University, backed up these concerns with a simple “concur.” Yeah, that’s academic speak for “I agree.”
A Wake-Up Call?
Dr. Gennadi Glinsky, a retired professor of medicine at Stanford, took it a step further, writing: “This madness must be stopped before too late.”
The 2024 study doesn’t seem to have any ties to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology, which was at the center of lab leak theories surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
US intelligence agencies found no direct evidence that the lab leaked the virus, but they haven’t ruled out the possibility that the virus came from a different source.
What Does This Mean for Us?
So, what does this mean for us? Right now, the origin of COVID-19 is still unclear.
This study, while fascinating to some and terrifying to others, doesn’t provide any definitive answers.
What it does provide is a glimpse into the world of scientific research, where mice are “humanized,” viruses are mutated, and the consequences can be deadly.
So, next time you see a mouse, remember, they’re not just cheese-chasing critters.
They could be the key to understanding one of the deadliest viruses our generation has seen.
Or, they could just be a pawn in a game of scientific chess. Either way, it’s a lot to take in.
And as for our Chinese scientists, let’s hope they’re taking enough precautions.
We wouldn’t want another pandemic on our hands, would we?