New Coronavirus Discovered in Brazilian Bats
According to Bloomberg, scientists have identified a new coronavirus in bats in Brazil. The virus shows genetic similarities to those that cause COVID-19 and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
The newly found virus, named BRZ batCoV, was detected in a small species of insect-eating bats common across Latin America. Samples were collected from the Brazilian states of Maranhão and São Paulo.
Genetic analysis revealed that BRZ batCoV belongs to the betacoronavirus family, which includes the pathogens responsible for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), MERS (MERS-CoV), and SARS (SARS-CoV).
Researchers stated that there is currently no evidence suggesting that this new coronavirus poses a threat to humans. However, they noted that BRZ batCoV contains a short segment of the spike protein that can be cleaved by enzymes found in human and animal cells — a feature that facilitates viral entry into host cells.
This characteristic had not been previously observed in bat coronaviruses from the American continent, suggesting that it may have developed independently within South American bat populations.
