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SARS-CoV-2 may have originated in mammals, likely a bat or pangolin, given that its overall molecular structure closely resembles other viruses found in these animals. Researchers have now discovered six additional coronaviruses in Myanmar-based bats.
The research, published in PLOS ONE, notes that the viruses were discovered between 2016 and 2018, but aren't believed to be related to SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which all jumped from animals to humans.
“Viral pandemics remind us how closely human health is connected to the health of wildlife and the environment,” said the study's lead author and former wildlife veterinarian with the Smithsonian’s Global Health Program, 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.”
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The researchers collected more than 750 samples of saliva and fecal matter from 464 different bats from 11 different species. The new viruses were discovered in three species: Greater Asiatic yellow house bat, the wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat and Horsfield's leaf-nosed bat.
According to LiveScience, the six coronaviruses were given new names: PREDICT-CoV-90 (found in the Asiatic yellow house bat), PREDICT-CoV-47 and PREDICT-CoV-82 (found in the wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat) and PREDICT-CoV-92, -93 and -96, which were found in the leaf-nosed bat.
It's believed that "thousands of coronaviruses––many of which have yet to be discovered—are present in bats," the statement added.
"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," one of the study's co-authors, Suzan Murray, added in the statement. "Vigilant surveillance, research and education are the best tools we have to prevent pandemics before they occur."
Additional studies will be needed to determine if these newly discovered coronaviruses have "the potential for transmission across species to better understand the risks to human health."
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As of Monday afternoon, more than 1.88 million coronavirus cases have been diagnosed worldwide, including more than 560,000 in the U.S., the most impacted country on the planet.