New Delhi: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) researchers have found the presence of bat coronavirus (BtCoV) in two bat species from Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
It’s different from the novel coronavirus that is sweeping across the globe, killing thousands.
According to the ICMR study, however, there is no evidence yet to claim that these bat coronaviruses — BtCoV — can infect human beings.
Dr Pragya D Yadav, scientist at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, is the first author of the study, which has been published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research,
A total of 25 bats — of Rousettus and Pteropus species — from the four states were found positive for BtCoV.
“These bat coronaviruses have no relation with SARS-CoV2 responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic,” Yadav said. The Pteropus bat was earlier found positive for Nipah virus in Kerala.
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