A mystery virus started killing horses. Then humans. Was this the moment our coronavirus era began?
This article explores the historical origins of the Hendra virus, which emerged in a Brisbane horse stable in the 1990s. It examines how the virus jumped from bats to horses and eventually humans, serving as a case study for understanding modern zoonotic disease outbreaks.
A Brisbane horse stable became the centre of an outbreak of a new virus in the 1990s – Hendra virus, which had jumped from bats to horses to humans. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design A Brisbane horse stable became the centre of an outbreak of a new virus in the 1990s – Hendra virus, which had jumped from bats to horses to humans. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design Infectious diseases A mystery virus started killing horses. Then humans. Was this the moment our coronavirus era began? In the 1990s, scientists in Australia began searching for the origins of a new disease showing up in places hundreds of kilometres apart. They discovered the origin: bats. And found a way to reduce the risk of bat disease spillovers
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