Pangolins Might Be Involved In The Transmission Of Coronavirus To Humans
Virologists are researching for an intermediate host that is responsible for passing the new coronavirus to humanity. Scientists are currently trying to understand from where the COVID-19 started. They are presently suggesting that this virus was transmitted from bats to humans. Pangolins might have also been involved, new reports indicate.
However, the question is, how was the infection spread to bats in the first place? The main focus of this research is to fully understand how the virus is formed and find a cure and stop its spreading. SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus, meaning that the virus was first found in animals and then transmitted to humans. The most crucial step is to find the species that carried coronavirus to humans.
A new theory is stating that the pangolins were the hosts that transmitted the virus to humans, causing the ongoing pandemic. The pangolin is originally from Asia and Africa and is commonly referred to as the scaly anteater.
Pangolins might have contributed to the spread of the new coronavirus
The early assumptions that spread on the internet in January stated that the virus was transmitted to humans through bats. However, given the research conducted with other illnesses alike, the scientists are suspecting that the bats infected an intermediate host that eventually reached the humanity.
The SARS-CoV caused the spreading of a deadly virus back in 2003, and its characteristics are bearing a resemblance to the SARS-CoV-2. For that virus, the virus was transmitted from bats to the masked palm civet that later infected humans.
Another study is claiming that several species of snakes such as the Chinese krait or the Chinese cobra might be the intermediate host for the deadly virus. However, this theory has received critics because it does not offer any proper data regarding how the virus can be transmitted from a cold-blooded animal to human beings.
Studies also analyze the similarities between the SARS-CoV and SARSC-CoV-2, and the resemblance percentage shows that the two viruses are very similar. The genetic sequence similarity is 91%. Additionally, cats and ferrets can get infected with coronavirus, but it is still unclear if they can transmit it to humans. However, pangolins might have done that.
Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.
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