UPLB ‘virus hunters’ study bats in hopes of stopping next pandemic

Several researchers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños have been catching and studying bats to develop a simulation model that might help prevent another pandemic similar to COVID-19.

According to Ivan Mayrina’s report on “24 Oras” on Wednesday, the researchers call themselves “virus hunters.”

The researchers have been catching bats using nets in Mount Makiling in Laguna, taking swab samples from them and returning them to the wild afterwards.

The swab samples they collected will be sent to Japan for genetic sequencing.

“We’re trying to create a model that will predict kung saan bang lugar sa Pilipinas magkakaroon ng next outbreak ng mga infectious diseases na galing sa mga paniki,” Dr. Phillip Alviola, a bat ecologist, said.

[We’re trying to create a model that will predict where the next outbreak of infectious diseases from bats will be in the Philippines.]

Phillip Alviola, a bat ecologist, take swabs from bats as Kirk Taray notes down information at Mount Makiling in Los Banos, Laguna province, Philippines, March 5, 2021. "The pandemic has provided a more difficult environment to work with but that should not stop science from providing answers and addressing more questions. We do not know when will this current pandemic end and it will only be a matter of time to ask when will the next outbreak might occur," said Taray. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

“Puwede nating ma-preempt ‘yong emergence ng outbreak . Gagawa na tayong hakbang,” he added.

[We can preempt the emergence of an outbreak. We will make a way.]

Alviola said they are also studying other strains of coronavirus that have the potential to jump from an animal host to a human host.

The researchers began their study in January.

Scientists previously said COVID-19—which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan—might have originated in bats and could have been transmitted to people via another mammal.

COVID-19 has so far claimed over 2.74 million lives globally.

In the Philippines, a total of 684,311 cases have been reported, including 579,518 recoveries and 13,039 deaths. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News