UAE scientists injecting ‘immune’ camels with COVID-19 to study virus antibodies
May 3, 2021, 9:13 am

UAE scientists injecting ‘immune’ camels with COVID-19 to study virus antibodies

A herd of camel walk through the wild in Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, on October 1, 2016. (File photo: AP)

A United Arab Emirates scientist is spearheading a study looking at how camels – immune to the COVID-19 virus – could provide vital answers into how to tackle the global pandemic and treat infected patients.

Dr. Ulrich Wernery, a veterinary microbiologist in Dubai and head of the emirate’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, and his team are injecting dead samples of the COVID-19 virus into dromedaries to examine the antibodies produced by the desert animals,

While camels were a known host of the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) – the COVID-19 predecessor known to cause acute respiratory disease, gastrointestinal problems, kidney failure and death – studies have shown that dromedaries are actually immune to the new coronavirus – COVID-19.

This is because camels do not have the virus receptor – a host cell recognized by the virus as a gateway to entry in the cell – that humans and other animals have which leave them vulnerable to COVID-19, Wernery said.

“MERS-CoV, can harbor but they don’t get sick,” he explained. “With COVID-19, the virus cannot attach to the camels’ mucosa cells of the respiratory tract as the receptor is absent or dull.”

“This makes it all very interesting. Besides humans, minks and cats – small and big, such as such a tigers and lions – can get COVID-19 and can transmit the virus into other cats and to humans and vice versa. But not camels.”

COVID-19 have been found among some animals. Gorillas in a San Diego Zoo were the first non-human primates to test positive for the coronavirus.

A cat in Surrey, in the United Kingdom, became Britain’s first animal to test positive. A tiger at Bronx Zoo was the first animal in the US to test positive. Other Big Cats have tested positive, including four lions at a Barcelona Zoo. A snow leopard at Kentucky Zoo also tested positive for the virus.

A mutant strain of the virus was also found in a Danish mink, which led to 17 million being culled.

A German Shepard was the first dog in the US confirmed with confirmed COVID-19.

However, scientists and the World Health Organization (WHO) say the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to humans is low.

While the exact source of COVID-19 is unknown, WHO scientists believe it likely came from a bat.

Wernery told Al Arabiya English he hopes his landmark study can provide further answers into COVID-19 – and potentially provide an alternative treatment option.

“We have immunized our camels with a dead COVID-19 virus to produce antibodies and we use this blood to establish better tests for the diagnosis for COVID-19.”

“We hope that maybe one day we can use the blood - the antibodies - from camels to treat humans against COVID-19 infections.”

“This is all in the pipeline.”

To date, vaccines – which work to recognize and fight off the viruses and the bacteria they target - are the only recognized form of treatment by the WHO.

At least seven different vaccines have been rolled out in countries across the world. At the same time, more than 200 additional vaccine candidates are in development.

More than 150 million people worldwide have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic.

source: Jennifer Bell

Image source: AP

Levant

Myanmar rebel group says shoots down military helicopter Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercept ballistic missile, 2 drones targeting Najran

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.