Coronavirus origins: genome analysis suggests two viruses may have combined

Mar 20, 2020

A Malaysian pangolin walks past cages containing 45 others as awildlife officer watches in Kuala Lumpur August 8, 2002. The Malaysianwildlife department on Wednesday seized 37 male and nine femalepangolins officials suspected were ready to be smuggled to restaurantsin China. Officers arrested two men believed to be part of aninternational smuggling ring trafficking protected species likepangolins, which are sold for 70 ringgit ($18) per kilo in illegalmarkets. Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

In Feburary, scientists discovered a virus with 99% of genomic concordance to SARS-CoV-2 in pangolins. Image: REUTERS/Bazuki MuhammadBM/JS

Alexandre Hassanin

Maître de Conférences (HDR) , Sorbonne Université

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Bat, Rhinolophus affinis. Alexandre Hassanin, Author provided Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

Bats (Rhinolophus affinis) were originally thought to be the source of virus. Image: Alexandre Hassanin

A coronavirus from the pangolin could be one of the sources for COVID-19. Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly

A coronavirus from the pangolin could be one of the sources for COVID-19. Image: Wildlife Alliance/Flickr, CC BY

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