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NEW YORK, February 6 – Climate change may have played a “key role” in the transmission of the novel coronavirus to humans by bringing together several bat species carrying pathogens, research showed yesterday.
The virus, which has killed more than two million people and caused unprecedented global disruption, is believed to have originated in bats in Southeast Asia.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have used temperature and precipitation data over the past 100 years to model the populations of dozens of bat species based on their habitat needs.
They found that over the past century, 40 species had moved to southern China, Laos and Myanmar – the area where genetic analysis suggests the virus known as SARS-CoV- 2 appeared for the first time.
Since each bat species carries an average of 2.7 coronaviruses, the researchers said 100 strains of coronavirus are now concentrated in this ‘hotspot’ area.
“Our article is far from saying that the pandemic would not have happened without climate change,” lead author Robert Meyer of the Cambridge Department of Zoology told AFP.
“But I find it hard to see that this increase due to the climate of bats and bat-transmitted coronaviruses make something like this less likely to happen.
Although the precise chain of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from animals to humans remains to be determined, Beyer said climate change and habitat destruction in Asia has led species carrying the virus to increasing contact. closer to human populations.
“These are two sides of the same coin: we are penetrating deeper into their habitat, but at the same time, climate change can have the effect of pushing the pathogen in our direction,” he said.
‘Complex risk’
The study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, urged governments to take action, including limiting urban expansion and agriculture, which it said would help manage the risk of another pandemic of an endemic disease in wild animals.
He also called for an increased effort to mitigate climate change to avoid large accumulations of wildlife near human dwellings.
“The fact that climate change may accelerate the transmission of pathogens from wildlife to humans should be an urgent wake-up call to reduce global emissions,” said Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii, who contributed looking.
Kate Jones, professor of ecology and biodiversity at University College London, said yesterday’s research was interesting but the pandemic was the result of various factors.
“Climate change certainly has a role to play in changing the distribution of species to increase ecological risk,” said Jones, who was not involved in the study.
“However, the risk of contagion is a complex interaction not only of ecological hazard, but also of human exposure and vulnerability.
Habitat loss, for example, has also been a major factor in bringing wild animal species closer to human populations. – ETX studio
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