Six previously undescribed strains of coronaviruses have been detected in Myanmar bat populations.
Though it is unclear whether the new strains are capable of jumping between species or infecting humans, the viruses are not closely related to coronaviruses that cause SARS, MERS, or COVID-19.
The new findings suggest that it is likely there are thousands of coronaviruses present in bats – many of which have not yet been discovered.
An international team of scientists operating under the Predict Project discovered the virus strains in Linno Cave. Bats, in particular, have a unique lifestyle that makes them a natural reservoir of viruses of public concern.
From May 2016 to August 2018, researchers identified various bat species and collected more than 750 saliva and fecal samples to test them for zoonotic diseases and viruses.
The samples were then compared against samples from people and livestock near the cave, as well as to other known coronaviruses.
The data identified six new strains of coronaviruses, in particular, three new alphacoronaviruses, three new betacoronaviruses, and one previously described alphacoronavirus that was found for the first time in Myanmar.
“Many coronaviruses may not pose a risk to people, but when we identify these diseases early on in animals, at the source, we have a valuable opportunity to investigate the potential threat,” said Suzan Murray in a statement.
“Vigilant surveillance, research and education are the best tools we have to prevent pandemics before they occur.”
Coronaviruses
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which can cause illness in animals and very few that can jump between species, as was the case with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 respiratory disease.
Coronaviruses are part of the many virus strains globally that are under biosurveillance in order to determine what emerging diseases have a higher likelihood of impacting human health and financial stability.
As many as three-quarters of infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans, and pose an increasing threat as growing human populations more frequently interact with wildlife.
Bats are of particular interest given their ability to fly for prolonged periods of time and travel great distances.
“Viral pandemics remind us how closely human health is connected to the health of wildlife and the environment,” said Marc Valitutto in a statement. “Worldwide, humans are interacting with wildlife with increasing frequency, so the more we understand about these viruses in animals – what allows them to mutate and how they spread to other species – the better we can reduce their pandemic potential.“
The findings provide insight that could help guide policies on ways to reduce disease transmission to keep both bats and humans safe. Future studies will determine the potential for transmission across species to understand the broader risks to human health. More coronavirus news on Strange Sounds and Steve Quayle. [Space Weather]
This story is B.S. How? In almost every way and reason.
For starters, the nCoV2-19/SARS is not zoonotic. That is BS propaganda. The virus in question, “SARS-nCoV2-19” is a biological construct, a chimera virus made in a bioweapons/death medicine/ vaccination laboratory. There is nothing natural about it, and any story pushing the BS that it came from bats is fake news.
Secondly, this whole bats as natural viral reservoirs is also junk science BS. Exactly HOW are these bats getting all these viron particles? Are we led to believe all these viruses come from insects? That is what bats eat, bugs. Yet, we do not find these viruses in insects. So where are these viruses coming from? Are we to be children with magical thinking to believe bats just magically create these viruses within their bodies?
Here is the better reason and rationale: most all these viruses in question are MAN MADE and have been FOR A LONG TIME. SARS and MERS are man made. HIV is BS for they have never shown any virus responsible nor any genome of said virus. AIDS is BS for the reasons they give. EBOLA is absolutely made by man, men from Ft. Dietrich to be precise.
So stop lying to us with propaganda prop-ups articles like this. We be woke to the truth.