“This is not scientific evidence investigations into animal reservoirs are extremely important, but results must then be published for international scrutiny to allow proper consideration. “The evidence for the potential involvement of pangolins in the outbreak has not been published, other than by a university press release,” said Professor James Wood, PhD, Head of Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge in a statement. So far, the university has only issued a press release. However, the actual study hasn’t been published. Shen Yongyi, a professor with the university and member of the research team, told the Xinhua news service that although previous research found the novel coronavirus originated in bats, the animals hibernate in winter, making it unlikely that they caused the current outbreak. “They found that the sequence of the coronavirus strain assembled from metagenomes was 99 percent identical to that of infected people in the recent coronavirus outbreak,” reported state media.

This is why experts suspect it crossed to humans from an animal host.Īccording to Chinese state media, researchers at South China Agricultural University have analyzed over 1,000 metagenome samples of wild animals to find pangolins, a type of anteater, are the most likely intermediate host of the novel coronavirus. In the beginning, many of those infected worked or shopped at a wholesale seafood market in Wuhan, China, which also sold live and freshly slaughtered animals. The virus typically causes respiratory illnesses like the common cold. Since the virus is considered novel, it’s a type of virus that has never been encountered before.Ĭoronaviruses are named for their crown-like shape, and were first identified in the mid-1960s. The coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China, is baffling experts searching for the source.

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Seven coronaviruses are known to infect humans.Īll data and statistics are based on publicly available data at the time of publication.

A new study found the virus may have originated in bats and then spread to humans via a snake or pangolin.

Coronaviruses are named for their crown-like shape, and were first identified in the mid-1960s.

Share on Pinterest The new coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan, China.

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