Pangolins: A Suspect for the Spread of Coronavirus

Pangolins could be responsible for the spread of the deadly coronavirus in China, scientists said after they found the genome sequence separated from the endangered mammals 99 per cent identical to that from infected people, according to a study led by scientists at the South China Agricultural University.

Key Findings

• Pangolins are believed to be one of the world’s most trafficked mammals. Thousands of them are poached every year due to their medicinal value and human consumption in countries like China and Vietnam.
• The research team found pangolins as the most likely intermediate host of the novel coronavirus.
• After the coronavirus, ....