Rospotrebnadzor specialists have discovered coronaviruses in bats in Russia. This was stated by Anna Speranskaya, head of the genomics and post-genomic research group of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, RIA Novosti reports.
According to her, it is not yet known what types of virus scientists have discovered. Speranskaya noted that at the moment this issue is being studied. In addition, she said that a number of viruses were found in bats during the study.
Nevertheless, the expert emphasized that Russian bats are no more dangerous than other wild animals such as foxes or hedgehogs, which can also be carriers of diseases dangerous to humans.
Earlier, Ilya Artyushin, a researcher at the Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, estimated the likelihood of contracting coronavirus from bats living in Russia. The candidate of biological sciences noted that there are more than a hundred coronaviruses, but only three of them pose a danger to humans. Artyushin said that the likelihood of contracting just such a virus from an animal is extremely small.
