Two new lineages of coronavirus detected in NZ bats

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-12-04 03:00

New Zealand

Image by Colin O'Donnell/ Department of Conservation via wikimedia commons

New research has identified two new lineages of coronavirus in New Zealand native bats, with over 60% of long-tailed bats infected during the study period. Researchers say the new viruses are not at the highest risk of transferring into human populations, as they both belong to a different clade (group) of coronaviruses than all three viruses that have emerged in human populations over the past few decades. However, the findings are an important step towards understanding how coronaviruses move through bat populations, evolve over time, and do or don't jump into new species.

Media release

From:

Journal/
conference: New Zealand Journal of Ecology

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Otago, Department of Conservation, Université de La Réunion

Funder: This work was carried out in the frame of a sabbatical stay of PT (Congés de Recherche et de Conversion Thématique) that was financed by the French Conseil National des Universités and by European Regional Development Fund/Regional Council of La Réunion (ERDF GeCaBex project)

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