At a time when the world is emerging from the grips of the century’s biggest catastrophe in Covid, reports have surfaced that a new virus named BtSY2 which inhibits characteristics like SARS-COV-2 has been found in the bats in a study done in China alongside 5 other dangerous viruses.
The symptoms of this virus are similar to those of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, moreover, the virus carries an even grave threat of entering the human body with ease. Scientists have warned that the new virus is extremely dangerous and can also cause a lot of destruction.
The new virus has been found in bats in South China. A total of 5 dangerous viruses have been found in the body of bats in Yunnan province of China, which can turn up as a grave threat in potentially transmitting disease to both humans and animals. This research has been done by Sydney University, Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control, and Sun Yat-Sen University in Shenzhen.
Of the five viruses labeled “viruses of concern”, BtSY2 has been found to have the characteristics of both SARS, which killed 774 people and infected 8,000 people back in 2003, and the SARS-COV-2 responsible for COVID-19.
For this research, 15 species of Yunnan state of China were investigated. A total of 149 urine samples were tested in which a total of five viruses were found. Out of these, one virus duplicated the corona-like build. Scientists found that the new virus BTSY2 is a receptor-binding virus that can attach to human cells. It is even pertinent to mention here that China's Yunnan province has become a hot spot for the virus found in bats.
Reportedly, of note, BtSY2 had a receptor binding domain – the part of the spike protein that it uses to latch onto human cells, which most Covid-19 vaccines target – very similar to Sars-Cov-2, possibly closest seen in animal viruses to date. This suggests BtSY2 may also be able to infect humans.