Part 9/13:
However, the question remains whether the virus was circulating elsewhere, whether it was accidentally released from a laboratory, or if it is truly a natural zoonotic spillover. Conspiracy theories proliferate, but concrete evidence points toward natural origins, emphasizing the importance of wildlife and animal trade regulations.
The Role of Animal Hosts and the Threat of Mutated Reservoirs
Understanding the animal origins is vital since ongoing animal-human transmission risks generating new variants. SARS-like viruses are prevalent in bat populations across Asia, Europe, and Africa. The concept of an intermediate host—an animal species that amplifies the virus and facilitates jump to humans—remains a key research focus.