Scientists searching for the origins of COVID-19 have zeroed in on a short list of animals that possibly helped spread it to people. Researchers analyzed genetic material gathered from the Chinese market where the first outbreak was detected and identified sub-populations of racoon dogs, civet cats and bamboo rats that may have been infected when brought to a market in Wuhan, China in late November 2019. While the research, published Thursday, bolsters the case that COVID-19 emerged from animals, it does not resolve the polarized debate over whether the virus instead emerged from a lab. Scientists searching for the origins of COVID-19 have zeroed in on a short list of animals that possibly helped spread it to people. Researchers analyzed genetic material gathered from the Chinese market where the first outbreak was detected and identified sub-populations of racoon dogs, civet cats and bamboo rats that may have been infected when brought to a market in Wuhan, China in late November 2019. While the research, published Thursday, bolsters the case that COVID-19 emerged from animals, it does not resolve the polarized debate over whether the virus instead emerged from a lab. AP Technology and Science
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