Chinese Researchers Discover Virus Similar to COVID-19 in Cheonsangap

Pangolin / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] A study has found a virus similar to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Malayan pangolins.

Research teams from the University of Hong Kong and Guangxi Medical University published a paper in the scientific journal Nature on the 26th (local time). In the paper, the researchers claimed, "Among 31 Malayan pangolins smuggled into China from 2017 to last year and seized by authorities, viruses with gene sequences almost identical to COVID-19, which has caused a global infection spread, were found in 8 of them."

According to the research team, the gene sequences of the virus found in Malayan pangolins and COVID-19 are known to match between 85% and 92%.

Tommy Lam, the first author of the paper and a professor at the University of Hong Kong, told the BBC, "It still needs to be confirmed whether pangolins played the role of an intermediate host for COVID-19," adding, "To prevent future animal (virus) infection outbreaks, the trade of wild animals in markets must be banned."

The claim that pangolins could be an intermediate host has been raised before.

Researchers from Huanan Agricultural University in China claimed on the 7th of last month that pangolins were confirmed as intermediate hosts of COVID-19.

At that time, the researchers explained on their website, "After analyzing over 1,000 gene samples, we confirmed pangolins as intermediate hosts," and "The gene sequence of the coronavirus strain isolated from pangolins was 99% similar to the virus sequence detected in COVID-19 patients."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.