Laos: Scientists discover pathogens closest to SARS-CoV-2 in cave bats

Researchers have identified the closest relative of SARS-CoV-2 in bat caves in Laos, thereby further substantiating the claim that Coronavirus infection has natural origins. In a pre-print study, scientists from the French institute Pasteur along with their counterparts from the University of Laos contested viruses that infected Laotian bats were shared a similar part with the SARS-CoV-2- the Receptor Binding Domain that allows the pathogen to bind and infect the human cell. It is worth mentioning that the two most popular theories of COVID origin are natural — infection originated in bats before jumping to humans and the Lab Leak-the virus were synthetically created in Chinese labs.

How was the study conducted?

For the purpose of the study, researchers studied Coronavirus pathogens found in bats in four different limestone caves between July 2020 and January 2021. From their analysis, they concluded that the pathogens found in the bats were incredibly similar to the virus causing COVID-19 in humans. In addendum, they also warned that the viruses could, like the COVID pathogen, also prove lethal to humankind in the near future.

“Sequences very close to those of the early strains of Sars-CoV-2 responsible for the pandemic exist in nature, and are found in several Rhinolophus bat species,” the authors wrote in the paper. “These viruses may have contributed to Sars-CoV-2’s origin and may intrinsically pose a future risk of direct transmission to humans,” they added.

Was COVID-19 created in labs? 

While this study buttresses the stance that COVID originated in the bats, explosive documents have revealed that China discussed the weaponization of Coronavirus as far back as 2015. As per the document, People's Liberation Army (PLA) commanders had predicted that World War 3 would be fought with biological weapons, and on similar lines, the Chinese military scientists had discussed the weaponization of SARS coronaviruses five years before the COVID-19 pandemic originated and spread to various parts of the world. Outlining their ideas, top scientists predicted that these coronaviruses could be used to fight the third world war. The paper obtained by the US officials was reportedly written by military scientists and senior Chinese public health officials in 2015, The Australian reported, adding that it was a part of their own investigation into the origins of COVID-19. The new details once again raise questions over China's role in the spread of coronavirus with major concerns about China's transparency on the origins of COVID-19.

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