Covid came from bats 40 yrs ago – expert
WUHAN in Hubei province might not be the place where the virus causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crossed from animals to humans, despite the first clusters of infections having been reported in the city, said Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the Health Emergencies Program of the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
He cited a study published in Yunnan province in 2013, according late July in the journal Nature to the journal Science. Microbiology , which showed As a result, RaTG13 has been the that scientists now have further centerpiece of many conspiracy proof that the coronavirus evolved theories claiming Dr Shi’s team in the wild and might have been had genetically manipulated it to circulating in bats for more than create the novel coronavirus. Shi 40 years. rebutted all the accusations in an
The study, conducted by scientists interview with Science last month. from China and Europe, said The city had a surveillance system the virus might have been poised designed specifically for picking up to jump to humans for some atypical pneumonia cases, he said time. Meanwhile, this discovery at a routine news briefing. “It was discredits conspiracy theories that there for a very specific purpose. the coronavirus was bioengineered And the fact that the fire alarm was or escaped from a lab, it added. triggered doesn’t necessarily mean
The researchers compared the that is where the disease crossed genetic makeup of the novel coronavirus from animals into humans.” with that of a close relative When commenting on the future in bats — a virus called RaTG13. joint investigation, Ryan said The latter was discovered by noted Chinese scientists had done a lot Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli in of great work and provided valuable preliminary data.
A more extensive epidemiological study to look at the first cases and clusters in Wuhan would begin with the participation of scientists from around the globe, according to the WHO.
Two WHO experts were in China to conduct groundwork for an investigation into the animal origins of the novel coronavirus from July 11 to August 2, according to information released by China’s National Health Commission on Monday.
During their stay in China, they held many talks with their Chinese counterparts on scientific research, including the route of transmission and animal origin of the virus, and exchanged ideas on future scientific study plans.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said WHO and Chinese experts had drafted the terms for the studies and the program for an international team led by the WHO.
“The international team will include leading scientists and researchers from China and around the world,” he said. The origin of the novel coronavirus has puzzled scientists since its discovery.
The latest study found the two viruses shared a common ancestor, but their evolutionary path diverged some 40 to 70 years ago. The long divergence period suggests that there may be other undiscovered strains of bat coronaviruses that may cause disease in humans.
Unlike what previous research suggested, the study did not find evidence supporting pangolins playing a role in the evolution of the novel coronavirus or being the intermediate host. Instead, pangolins may have picked up the virus through contact with other wild animals, the study said.
David Robertson, a professor of viral genetics at the University of Glasgow and one of the key researchers behind the study, said the novel coronavirus is a “generalist virus” that could infect multiple species of animals.
“Current evidence suggests that the novel coronavirus acquired its significant traits from evolving in bats, not in some intermediate hosts,” he said in an online seminar last month.
This might help explain why the intermediate host had eluded scientists to this day because it may not have played a big role in the virus’ evolution, he said.