Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, renowned for her work on coronavirus in bats, has claimed that viruses discovered now are just the tip of the iceberg.

In an interview on Chinese state television, the Chinese virologist further called for international cooperation in the fights against various pandemics and epidemics.

"Scientists and government need to be transparent and cooperative while carrying out researches into viruses," Zhengli said.

Popular Chinese virologist Zhengli is also known as China's "bat-woman" and is the Deputy Director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

"Science should not be politicised and it is extremely regrettable that people are now politicising science," she said.

"For preventing human beings from suffering from the next infectious disease outbreak, we must go in advance to learn of these unknown viruses carried by wild animals in nature and give early warnings," NDTV reported quoting the Chinese virologist.

"There will be possibly another outbreak if we don't carry out an in-depth study," Zhengli added.

The COVID-19 pandemic so far has infected over 5.4 million people worldwide and killed over 345,000 people.

The USA has accused China of creating the virus in a lab and releasing it to the world.

China, however, has rejected the accusations and Zhengli said the idea that the virus escaped from the lab was "pure fabrication."