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The spread of the new coronavirus here is shedding light on a study that detected a type of coronavirus in bats living on the Korean peninsula.
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| Rhinolophus ferrumequinum |
According to "Monitoring coronavirus in wild bats in Korea," published last year, a research team led by Kim Young-kwan, a researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Research, detected coronavirus in 16 samples taken from live bats' feces and saliva, as well as from dead bats' organs.
Twenty-three species of bats have habitats in Korea and the virus was found the most frequently in Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, the study result said.
Kim also wrote the bat samples from South Jeolla Province showed the most infections, but said the possibility of human transmission was quite low. He also emphasized that the type of coronavirus discovered was significantly different from the Wuhan and SARS viruses.
Previously, local scientists also detected coronavirus antigens in wild pigs, water deer, stray cats, black goats, dogs and oxen.
Another common zoonosis animal is a tick blamed for Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS). In Korea, the first SFTS case was reported in 2013 and it's considered a deadly virus with a high fatality rate with no vaccine or cure available. Experts also raised the alert for pet owners as ticks could attach themselves to cats and dogs.
The coronavirus outbreak called attention to the need for wild animal management and an end to the illegal wildlife trade. In the wake of the virus outbreak, the Chinese National Forest and Grassland Administration deployed a strict ban on all trading of wild animals.
The World Wildlife Fund recently said in a statement: "While closing wildlife markets could have a major impact, bans alone will not stop the illegal wildlife trade if demand persists. This health crisis must serve as a wake-up call for the need to end unsustainable use of endangered animals and their parts as exotic pets, for food consumption and for their perceived medicinal value."
