Humans are the main source of COVID-19, but what happens now that we’ve spread it to animals? – CBC

Feeding and handling wildlife could provide the coronavirus with an opportunity to jump species

Feb 10, 2022

If there’s one thing social media loves, it’s a Disney-like moment with a wild animal. There’s the much-loved video with the golden retriever who’s best friends with a deer, or the one where a woman hand-feeds deer on her porch. But those seemingly innocent interactions between humans and wildlife could be costly during a pandemic.

Humans are currently the main source of transmission for the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2. Globally, the virus has been found in 19 different species, mostly animals that are domestic or living in captivity.

What concerns scientists is the potential for another species to become a reservoir. If SARS-CoV-2 circulates widely enough in another species, there’s a risk that animal could become a potential source for new variants and transmission back to humans.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/sarscov2-wildlife-surveillance-1.6345673