The mystery of its origin soon became clear thanks to the Institut Pasteur?

China may not be the country of origin coronavirus. At least according to the publication of the results of a study conducted by researchers in Laosclergy institute.

Speculation around the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow. A mission report led by researchers from the Institut Pasteur (Paris), the Institut Pasteur in Laos and the National University of Laos may shed some light on them. Between late 2020 and early 2021, the team studied different species of bats housed in limestone caves located in the north of this Southeast Asian country. Analysis of the samples allowed them to conclude that the virus may have come from some species of insectivorous bats in the area. This is due to a strong similarity between the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and the agents present in these animals.

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It’s still difficult to categorize. In fact, even though they can be transmitted to humans, the discovered virus does not have a “furin site” as is the case with SARS-CoV-2.

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still gray area

By activating a protein called spike, this “furin site” gives the virus the ability to gain better access to human cells. It is also the source of the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2. Thus there is a missing link that needs clarification. According to Mark Elloit, one of the researchers who participated in the study, the man may have previously had a harmless virus that later mutated. It is also possible that similar pathogenic viruses collected may be present, but have not yet been detected. Furthermore, we don’t even know how the virus was able to travel between China and Laos.

Although there are still elements missing, Marc Elloit believes the Institut Pasteur has taken a major step toward elucidating the mystery surrounding the origins of Covid 19. This study actually showed that the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from animals to humans could be done without an intermediate animal, in this case the pangolin. This is rather encouraging news after the deadlock announced by WHO experts regarding the origin of COVID-19 in late August.

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What do WHO experts say

As a reminder, WHO mandates 17 international experts to work with 17 Chinese experts to clarify the issue. His publication of March 29, 2021 after his study in Wuhan did not produce satisfactory answers. Nevertheless, the report presented four more or less reliable hypotheses. The first was that there was an animal intermediate between the virus-carrying bat and the first human infected. Plus it’s the most reassuring.

For another, the virus could have been transmitted without an intermediate animal. Other hypotheses, which are transmission through food and accidental leakage from a laboratory, are considered very unlikely.




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