Is Corona virus a Biological Weapon? What is biological weapon? Do you want to know about biological weapon?
Corona virus Disease, that manifests in flu like symptoms, was first reported in Wuhan last December.
(Variola virus caused Smallpox)
(Bacillus anthracis bacteria)
It has since reportedly spread to over 1000 countries and infected over 1 lakh people, including the British and Iranian health ministers.
Corona virus now officially labelled as a pandemic.
What is Biological Weapon?
Biological Weapon, which are banned world wide by a multilateral framework signed under the auspices of the United Nations, are biological agents like bacteria that have been weaponised for use against and adversary.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), is located in the same city as the wet market (where animals are sold for meat, as apposed to a dry market that sells durable goods like electronics or clothes )that is considered to be the origin of the virus.
How biological weapons work?
A biological agents also called bio- agents, biological threat agents, biological warfare agents, biological weapon or bio- weapon, is a bacterium, virus, protozoan, parasite or fungus, that can be used purposely as a weapon in bioterrorism.
Biological Weapons have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from relatively mild allergic reactions to serious medical conditions, including serious injury , as well as serious or permanent disability or even death.
Bio - agents may be amenable to "weaponization" to render them easier to deploy or disseminate.
Since many bio- agents reproduce rapidly and required minimal resource for propagation.
Categories of bioterrorism
There are 3 categories
These categories are depending on how easily they can spread and the severity of illness or death they cause.
Catagory A agents are considered the highest risk.
E.g. Anthrax, botulism, plague, smallpox, viral hemorrhageic fever (Ebola).
Catagory B these agents are the second highest priority
E.g. brucellosis, epsilon toxin of clostridium, ricin toxin (caster beans), typhus fever, water safety threats (e.g. vibrio cholerae)
Catagory C this includes emerging pathogens that could be engineered for Mass spread in future emerging infectious disease.
E.g. Nipah virus, Hanta virus, corona virus.
History of Bioterrorism
Biological Weapon include any microorganism (such as bacteria , virus or fungi)or toxin ( poisonous compounds produced by micro- organisms) found in nature that can be used to kill or injured people.
If the environment is contaminated, a long term threat to the population could be created.
* During World War-1 the German Army developed "Anthrax" , Glanders, Cholera and wheat fungus specifically for use as biological Weapons.
* During World War-2 , Japanese Force operated a secret biological warfare research facility in Manchuria.
They exposed more than 3000 victims to Plague, Anthrax, Syphilis and other agents in an attempt to develop and observe the disease.
* In 1942, the United States formed the War Research Service, Anthrax and Botulinum toxin initially were investigated for use as weapons.
Which is the most dangerous Bio-agent?
Bacillus anthracis bacteria, which causes "Anthrax" , is one of the most deadly agent to be used as a bio-weapon.
It is classified by the United States centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a Catagory A agent.
Anthrax has been bused as a bio- weapon for about a century mixed with powders, sprays, food and water.
Bio-weapon is a subset of a larger class of weapons referred to as weapons of mass destruction , which also includes chemical, nuclear and radiological weapons.
The use of bio-weapon is a serious problem, and a risk of using these agents in a Bioterrorism attack is increasing.
If you find my article informative then please do share. And please comment if you know anything about Bioterrorism or bio weapons.
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