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She said it could just be a persistent infection that is being observed, but also speculated that the virus could be mutating rapidly — and evolving “enough to reinfect an animal.”

“We’ve had pandemics before, but never one with 8 billion potential hosts, massive global travel, a virus that can infect and reinfect year-round, and a population living to older age as we have now,” he said.

If that happens, China could improve its techniques and be able to reinfect military systems with even harder-to-find software.

Within a herd, flock, clowder, pack or pod, it quietly preserves its potential to reinfect humans and rekindle outbreaks.

Elk in the region also are infected, and could reinfect any immunized bison.