Scientists examined more than 400 samples of bat body fluids, which were collected between May 2019
Experts looked for fragments of RNA viruses and trieddecipher their partial or complete genomes. Among them were betacoronaviruses, which include SARS-CoV-2, and alphacoronaviruses. Traces of coronaviruses were detected in 40% of samples.
Biologists knew only a small fraction of the viruses found. The four beta-coronaviruses detected were similar to SARS-CoV-2.
One of these viruses, RpYN06, by genome structureturned out to be as close as possible to the human version of SARS-CoV-2. It was almost not inferior in this respect to the RaTG13 virus, which is considered the direct ancestor of the new type of coronavirus.
Experts have not yet been able to say exactly where and when SARS-CoV-2 appeared, as well as which animals became its intermediate carriers.
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