ICMR research on Covid-19 finds presence of ” bats coronavirus”

Twenty-five bats belonging to the Rousettus and Pteropus species were found positive for BtCoV from Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. ICMR has also reported that the bats are considered to be the natural reservoir for many viruses. In India, an association of the Pteropus medius virus with the Nipah virus was reported in the past.

Dr. Yadav also said “It is suspected that the recently emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2    (SARS –CoV-2) also has its association with bats”, the objective of the study is titled “Detection of coronaviruses in Pteropus and Rousettus species of bats from different states of India.”

Dr. Yadav also added “In the present scenario of changing demography and ecological manipulations, it is challenging to have checks on the encounters of bats with other animals and humans,” the study stated, highlighting that the need for active and continuous surveillance remains crucial for outbreak alerts for bats – associated viral agents with epidemic potential, which would be helpful in timely interventions.