Animal sold at Wuhan seafood market behind coronavirus outbreak, claims study

While bats may be the original hosts of the novel Chinese coronavirus, an animal sold at a seafood market in Wuhan may be spreading the deadly virus to humans, suggests a study published in The Lancet journal.

The analysis of 10 gene sequences of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from nine patients in the central Chinese city of Wuhan found that the virus is most closely related to two bat-derived SARS-like coronaviruses.

The researchers, including those from the Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences in China, said that their analysis suggests that bats might be the original host of the virus.

However, an animal sold at the Huanan seafood market might represent an intermediate host that enables the emergence of the virus in humans, they said.

For this reason, the researchers noted, future evolution, adaptation and spread of this virus requires urgent investigation.

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The harvested samples of the 2019-nCoV virus were then analysed to determine the origin of the virus, and how it enters human cells.

Eight of the patients had visited the Huanan seafood market. One patient had never visited the market, but had stayed in a hotel near the market before the onset of their illness.

The researchers found 2019-nCoV in all 10 genetic samples taken from the patients — including eight complete genomes, and two partial genomes.

The genetic sequences of the samples were nearly identical, which indicates a very recent emergence of the virus into humans, according to the researchers.

“It is striking that the sequences of 2019-nCoV described here from different patients were almost identical,” said one of lead authors, Weifeng Shi, from Shandong First Medical University, and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences.

“This finding suggests that 2019-nCoV originated from one source within a very short period, and was detected relatively rapidly,” Shi said.

As the virus transmits to more individuals, the researchers said, constant surveillance of mutations arising is needed.

Coronavirus originated in Wuhan, a Chinese city of more than 11 million people, and has since then spread to various countries around the world

India has tested 28 samples so far for the deadly infection that broke out in the Wuhan city of China in December last year.

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(With inputs from agencies)