Researchers in China have taken samples from 149 bats across Yunnan province

They found five 'viruses of concern' that have the potential to spread to humans

The Covid-like virus known as BtSY2 has similarities to SARS-CoV-2



A Covid-like virus discovered lurking in bats in southern China is one of five with the potential to jump to humans, scientists say.

The virus, known as BtSY2, is closely related to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid, and is 'at particular risk for emergence'.

It's one of five 'viruses of concern' found in bats across China's Yunnan province that are 'likely to be pathogenic to humans or livestock', the scientists say.


The research was led by researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in Shenzhen, the Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and the University of Sydney.

It has been detailed in a new study published as a preprint paper, yet to be peer-reviewed, on the bioRxiv server.

'We identified five viral species that are likely to be pathogenic to humans or livestock, including a novel recombinant SARS-like coronavirus that is closely related to both SARS-CoV-2 and 50 SARS-CoV,' the team say in the paper.

'Our study highlights the common occurrence of inter-species transmission and co-infection of bat viruses, as well as their implications for virus emergence.'

For the study, the researchers collected rectum samples from 149 individual bats representing 15 species, in six counties or cities in China's Yunnan province.

RNA – nucleic acid present in living cells – was extracted and sequenced individually for each individual bat.



well this is concerning. if it was sequenced they an do alot with it!!!!


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