Researchers Find New Virus in Thailand in Bat Faeces Which Is Used by Farmers as Manure

The New York-based EcoHealth Alliance, which was previously linked to experiments in China’s Wuhan, last week reported the discovery of a new virus found in bats in Thailand, according to a report by UK-based newspaper Daily Express.

The chairman of the group Dr Peter Daszak told reporters about the new discovery during a meeting of the World Health Organisation (WHO) about research focused on preparedness against future pandemics.

“We found a lot of SARS-related coronaviruses, but one in particular we found was quite common in bats where people were commonly exposed,” Daszak was quoted as saying by the Daily Express. He then said that this team identified a never-before-seen virus in bats in Thailand.

The zoologist told reporters that they have not named the new virus. He said his team found the virus in a Thai cave where local farmers source bat faeces to fertilise their fields.

The specialist in zoonosis – a branch of zoology that analyses how viruses jump from animals to humans – said that he considers this to be a potential zoonotic pathogen. “We consider this to be a potential zoonotic pathogen. Here we have a virus in bats, right now in a cave used by people highly exposed to bat faeces. And this virus is shed in bat faeces, so there is a real potential for emergence,” Daszak said.

Daszak said the people in Thailand who have been exposed to the virus have good protection against it. “We know that most people in the region have either had Covid or been vaccinated and that will provide really good protection, we think, against this virus,” he added.

EcoHealth Alliance faced funding cancellation over concerns of links to Covid lab leak reports. But chief Dr Daszak said his team is taking steps to discover further animal viruses that could threaten humans. However, his activities have led to widespread criticism from across the scientific community as they fear those activities can cause new pandemics.

US-government grants have allowed researchers to conduct research in Thailand and other parts of Asia.

The UK-born scientist said the newly discovered virus is a close relative of COVID-19. He said that it has the ‘almost’ the same potential of infecting humans, like coronavirus does. Daszak has dismissed the lab leak theory and insisted the coronavirus has natural origins.