Virus Behind COVID-19 Now Rampant in Wild Animals, Study Finds

[Warpy]

Testing almost 800 nasal and oral swabs from animals in rehabilitation centers or that were trapped and released in the wild, the researchers identified six different species with antibodies indicating they'd been infected with SARS-CoV-2 at some point.

Most of the infected species are common across North America and the researchers think it's likely that wildlife exposure to the virus is widespread.

But Goldberg and colleagues stress that they found no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 being transmitted back to humans from wildlife.

https://www.sciencealert.com/virus-behind-covid-19-now-rampant-in-wild-animals-study-finds

I would imagine the number of species with antibodies is even wider. I would also suspect that the disease is more a GI disease than a respiratory disease, especially in rodents, the way it was originally in bats.

It looks like we're going to need to get vaccinated and get periodic boosters for some time to come.

[lapfog_1]

1. knowing its capacity to mutate

wait until it picks up some other animal virus genes... Bird flu... etc.

[Warpy]

2. That's been one of the big fears all along

but other virologists see a trend with the virus weakening over time until it joins the other 5 coronaviruses that infect humans and give us the common cold. It could go either way: superflu or another damned cold.

What virologists know is that Covid was just a warning shot. Climate is changing, we'll all be faced with eating less, and crowded and stressed populations are going to be the perfect place for any superbug to get started. Throw in a big war or two and it's 1818 (or 1347) all over again.