A World Health Organization scientist said COVID-19 comes from bats and can spread among cats, amid an international debate about the virus’s origin.
The novel coronavirus comes from a group of viruses that originate or spread in bats, and it’s still unclear what animal may have transmitted the disease to humans, Peter Ben Embarek, a WHO expert in animal diseases that jump to humans, said Friday in a briefing with reporters.
The virus probably arrived in humans through contact with animals raised to supply food, though scientists have yet to determine which species, he said. Studies have shown that cats and ferrets are susceptible to Covid-19, and dogs to a lesser extent, he said, without specifying whether they can transmit the disease to people.
It’s important to find out which animals can get infected to avoid creating a “reservoir” in another species, he said.
WHO scientist Embarek, also stated that the Wuhan market had a role in virus outbreak, but more research is needed. Dr. Embarek – who is a WHO expert on food safety and zoonotic viruses, has stated that while the role was clear, its exact role is not clear yet. This is the first statement in which WHO has openly admitted the role of China’s Wuhan market in the spread of the pandemic.
Questions about the origin of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that has caused the pandemic, have intensified since U.S. President Donald Trump suggested it came from a laboratory in China. Germany most recently questioned the claim, made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Der Spiegel reported. Intelligence services from five countries, including the U.S., were unable to confirm his statements, it said. Scientists who have studied the issue maintain that the virus originated in an animal, and probably entered the human population in November.
