New Covid strain found in moustached bats — scientists fear it’s been spreading for months

BRZ batCoV. This is the latest corona virus strain that has been unearthed by the scientists in Pteronotus parnellii, a small insect-eating bat known for tiny hair tufts on its face, a common sighting in Latin America. The virus might have been gaining ground for months, experts fear as the testing in latin American region is limited.

The virus contains a furin cleavage site on its spike protein, the same feature found in SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the 2020 Covid pandemic. This site helps the virus enter human cells more easily, as per the report by The Sun. However, BRZ batCoV is not the same as Covid — it is actually more closely related to MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) viruses.

MERS and new covid variants found together

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), MERS, also known as camel flu, spreads less easily than Covid but is much deadlier, killing about one-third of patients. The discovery comes as two new Covid strains, called XFG (Stratus) and NB.1.8.1 (Nimbus), are spreading fast in Britain, leading to a 60% rise in hospital admissions earlier this month. ALSO READ: The alarming new COVID threat terrifying doctors across the globe today


At the same time, flu and flu-like illnesses are rising earlier than usual, especially among young adults and school-age children. Earlier this month, scientists in China detected a new ‘IDV’ flu variant that raised pandemic fears because it might have learned to jump from animals to humans.

Experts warn about silent spread in bats

Researcher Hongbo Bao from the Changchun Veterinary Research Institute said the new flu strain shows “alarming exposure rates” and may be spreading silently across countries. For now, scientists stress there is no evidence that BRZ batCoV infects humans or spreads beyond bat populations. The international research team said the finding proves that coronavirus features like the furin site can evolve naturally in bats, showing why wildlife monitoring is so important.

In their pre-print paper (not yet peer-reviewed), the researchers wrote that the discovery “provides important insights into the evolutionary potential and zoonotic risk of BRZ batCoV”, as stated by The Sun. They also added that the results “highlight the role of bats as potential reservoirs of genetic innovations relevant to zoonotic emergence.”

The WHO has already listed MERS and Covid, along with the mysterious “Disease X”, as possible diseases that could spark future pandemics, especially since no specific treatments or vaccines exist for them yet.

FAQs

Q1. What is the new BRZ batCoV virus found in bats?

BRZ batCoV is a new coronavirus found in moustached bats in Latin America, and scientists say it is related to MERS, not Covid.

Q2. Can the new BRZ batCoV virus infect humans?

So far, there is no evidence that BRZ batCoV can infect humans or spread outside bat populations.