Mystery Covid-like China virus could actually be deadly 1800s ‘walking’ illness

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1 month ago

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The mystery Covid-like Chinese virus causing havoc around the world could actually be a long-forgotten illness from the late 1800s, scientists fear.

The strange unidentified virus has been causing chaos in China for weeks, with the world on high alert over fears a new pandemic could be on the way. Although it so far only seems to impact children, it saw officials in neighbouring countries such as India, who are wary of another virus spreading through their population following the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2019, readying themselves for action.

And it has now been revealed that scientists in nearby Indonesia are now gearing up their laboratory network to test for symptoms of mycoplasma pneumonia – first detected in 1898. According to the Jakarta Post, the country's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that a testing for the virus is about to get under way.

READ MORE: Mystery Covid-like virus runs riot in Europe as experts warn Brits to 'mask up'

For the latest news and updates on illnesses from across the globe, click here.

He told an audience that “this was done in response to the increasing cases of pneumonia due to mycoplasma bacterial infection in China.”

Although it has not been confirmed exactly what the mystery disease is, it was first spotted in 1898 as a version of cattle pneumonia, before being found in chickens in 1944 – it was then thought to have transferred to humans, as was dubbed “walking pneumonia”, as it was thought to be a type of pneumonia humans could get but still continue about their day.

However, the current virus chaos has seen Beijing hospitals overrun after a massive increase in hospitalisations, and it has now been detected in Europe for the first time, with medical officials in both Denmark and the Netherlands confirming that the virus has taken hold there, with the latter confirming that the number of children – whom it mainly impacts – aged between five and 14 to get it has risen to 130 per 100,000 in just one week.

Mystery China virus now 'Covid-like' as health experts panic worldwide

And while it had previously been reported that just three symptoms were key to spotting the virus, speaking exclusively to the Daily Star, NHS GP and GP Medico-Legal expert witness Hana Patel old of the eight symptoms to look out for