However, the medical community is increasingly equipped with more advanced technology that can more quickly discover new viruses, though challenges still loom. “We’re much better at discovering, tracking, and characterizing new viruses,” Gulick said. In a type of illness Gulick called “zoonosis,” humans can contract viruses not only from other humans, but animals as well, such as in the case of SARS. The occurrence and severity of outbreaks, Gulick explained, depends on which of these modes of transmission a virus uses to spread. “We’re much better, particularly in the last five years, about being able to develop vaccines in a rapid way,” Gulick said.

Source: Daily Sun February 26, 2020 02:47 UTC