From bats to people to tigers? Viruses that can jump species
CNNCNN — The discovery that a tiger at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for the coronavirus has raised new questions about viruses that can jump from animals to humans to animals. Jonathan Epstein: The confirmed tiger case is the first evidence of SARS CoV2 in a captive wildlife species – a big cat– and also suggests likely transmission from a person. We’re still learning which species are susceptible to SARS CoV2, but we know that bats, people, ferrets and cats are among them. When people bring various kinds of wildlife, including bats and domestic animals, together in wet markets in China, they create a perfect opportunity for a virus like SARS CoV2 to jump from a bat to another animal or to people. We don’t know for sure how SARS CoV2 emerged – whether a person was directly infected by contact with bats, or whether other animals were involved – either is possible.