Chinese Researchers Identify Pangolin As Possible Coronavirus Carrier - Reports

Researchers in China have identified the scaly mammal pangolin as the likely carrier that transferred the coronavirus from bats to humans, Chinese media reported Friday

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2020) Researchers in China have identified the scaly mammal pangolin as the likely carrier that transferred the coronavirus from bats to humans, Chinese media reported Friday.

According to the Xinhua news agency, a study led by the South China Agricultural University looked at more than 1,000 genome samples of animal virus hosts and found a 99 percent match with the pangolin.

The unusual scaly animal frequently figures in illegal animal trade arrests as it is heavily poached and trafficked around the world.

Researcher Shen Yongyi told Xinhua that the coronavirus had originated from bats but was unlikely to have directly infected humans, as the bat species in question hibernates during winter. Instead, the virus required a "bridge" species, whose receptor proteins coincide with both humans and bats and is thus susceptible to the virus.

"On the one hand, we hope this result will warn people to stay away from wild animals. On the other, we would like to share it with research fellows in the hope of making efforts together to find other possible intermediate hosts to promote the epidemic prevention and control," Shen was quoted by the agency as saying.

The new strain of coronavirus was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December and has since spread to more than 25 countries. The virus has already left more than 630 dead and over 31,000 infected. Last week, the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in light of the outbreak.