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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Is the habitat of a coronavirus-carrying bat hundreds of miles away from Wuhan?

By Robyn Sundlee
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YES

The bat first identified as the most likely source of the coronavirus is the intermediate horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis). The bat virus sample most similar to the human coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic was found in a cave near the city of Kunming in China's Yunnan province. Wuhan, where the human coronavirus was first identified, is 800 miles away.

The virus's route from the cave to Wuhan is unclear, and may include intermediate species before infecting the first human hosts. More testing of animal virus strains is needed to pinpoint more precisely the species, sequence and places involved before scientists can be sure which species passed the virus to humans.

Update: In October 2021 The New York Times reported that bat coronaviruses newly found in Laos were highly infectious to humans and possessed a similar molecular structure to SARS-CoV-2.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Nature Pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin
PLOS A rich gene pool of SARS-related coronaviruses in bats provides insights into the origin of the coronavirus
New York Times Newly Discovered Bat Viruses Give Hints to Covid’s Origins
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.