Researchers find COVID-19-like infections in Thai bats – post today around the world

Researchers find COVID-19-like strains in Thai bats

February 12, 2021 time 18:15

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New research reveals a similar virus to the source of COVID-19 in Thai bats

BBCReported that research published in the journal Nature Communications. Led by researchers from Thailand and Singapore, the new coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2) could be infecting bats in many areas of Asia, including Thailand.

Research indicates that the virus was found close to the virus that causes COVID-19. And it is highly genetically related to Sars-CoV-2 from five horseshoe bats in a wildlife sanctuary in eastern Thailand. And it is expected that a similar virus may be present in bats in many countries across Asia. Including China and Japan

The same is true for the World Health Organization (WHO) team, which is investigating the source of COVID-19. It pointed out that it may have originated from an animal that was thought to be bats before it spread to humans. But the exact origin is still unknown

Professor Wang Lin Fa One research team from Singapore said that examining bats from Thailand found RacCS203 virus, which is 91.5% genetically similar to Sars-CoV-2.

It is also associated with another coronavirus, RmYN02, found in bats from Yunnan, China, with a 93.6% genetic similarity to Sars-CoV-2.

A research team from Chulalongkorn University found that the blood of the bats has a genetic code similar to Sars-CoV-2 by 91.5%.

Another big concern is that the coronavirus can infect a wide range of mammals such as dogs, cats and minks, experts say. “We need more surveillance of animals, including outside the Chinese border, to determine the true origin of the virus.”

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