Israeli Scientists Doubt Bats Were Source Of COVID-19 Pandemic

Israeli Scientists Doubt Bats Were Source of COVID-19 Pandemic

Israeli scientists have found no evidence to substantiate a theory that bats could be the source of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tel Aviv University said on Tuesday

TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2022) Israeli scientists have found no evidence to substantiate a theory that bats could be the source of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tel Aviv University said on Tuesday.

"Our comprehensive study raises serious doubts about the possibility that bats were the source of the COVID-19 outbreak," a statement said.

According to scientists, bats have an extremely efficient immune system that allows them to easily combat viruses that are considered deadly to other mammals. The statement added that although there is evidence that bats could be the source of ancient subspecies of the coronavirus, it is difficult to determine the origin of this particular variant.

The presence of antibodies to COVID-19 in bats' blood only means that they experienced a similar disease and developed immunity to it, but does not prove that these animals were the cause of the spread of the virus, the statement read.

The scientists noted that the antiviral mechanisms of bats should be studied in order to obtain new and effective means of overcoming human infectious diseases, aging, and cancer.