NEWS
24 September 2021
Correction 27 September 2021

Closest known relatives of virus behind COVID-19 found in Laos

Studies of bats in China and Laos show southeast Asia is a hotspot for potentially dangerous viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2.

Smriti Mallapaty

Smriti Mallapaty

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Scientists have found three viruses in bats in Laos that are more similar to SARS-CoV-2 than any known viruses. Researchers say that parts of their genetic code bolster claims that the virus behind COVID-19 has a natural origin — but their discovery also raises fears that there are numerous coronaviruses with the potential to infect people.

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Nature 597, 603 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-02596-2

Updates & Corrections

Correction 27 September 2021: An earlier version of this story was published with a different primary image, which was incorrectly captioned as featuring Rhinolophus bats. The story has been updated.

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