A new Swine Flu known as G4 virus has been discovered by researchers in China.
The flu reportedly has the potential to cause another pandemic in the future.
A study published on Monday revealed the existence of the new virus but researchers say the virus do not pose an immediate threat.
According to the study, H1N1 swine flu that caused a pandemic in 2009.
The study published in scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) says
G4 currently shows “all the essential hallmarks of a candidate pandemic virus.”
Reports say Chinese researchers at institutions, including Shandong Agricultural University and the Chinese National Influenza Center, discovered the G4 virus during a pig surveillance program.
Accordingly, from 2011 to 2018, the researchers collected more than 30,000 nasal swab samples from pigs in slaughterhouses and veterinary teaching hospitals across 10 Chinese provinces.
Out of the samples, the researchers identified 179 swine influenza viruses.
According to tests reports, G4 can infect humans by binding to our cells and receptors, and it can replicate quickly inside our airway cells.
Reports say G4 has apparently already infected humans in China.
In Hebei and Shandong provinces, both places with high pig numbers, more than 10% of swine workers on pig farms and 4.4% of the general population tested positive in a survey from 2016 to 2018, reports say.
By Melvin Tarlue