A new genetic analysis of animals in the Wuhan market in 2019 may help find COVID-19’s origin

[phkrause]

LONDON (AP) — Scientists searching for the origins of COVID-19 have zeroed in on a short list of animals that possibly helped spread it to people, an effort they hope could allow them to trace the outbreak back to its source.

https://apnews.com/article/covid-origins-racoon-dog-lab-leak-05d573cfd019a20cb46d675af0c669dd?

[phkrause]

Covid-19 origins

 

After an in-depth analysis of the genetic material from hundreds of swabs taken from the walls, floors, machines and drains inside the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China — a site that's been described as an epicenter of the early spread of Covid-19 — scientists say they now know exactly which species of animals were in the same area where investigators also found the most positive samples of the virus that causes Covid-19. The samples of species found include raccoon dog, hoary bamboo rat, dog, European rabbit, Amur hedgehog, Malayan porcupine, Himalayan marmot and masked palm civet. Of the animals present at the market, rabbits, dogs and raccoon dogs are known to be susceptible to Covid-19 infections. Raccoon dogs have also been shown to transmit the infection, making them a strong candidate to be the animals that first passed the virus to humans.