Cambodia bat researchers on mission to track origin of Covid-19A researcher from the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge takes an oral swab from a bat that was captured at Chhngauk Hill, Thala Borivat district, Steung Treng Province, Cambodia, on Aug 30, 2021. (Reuters photo)STUNG TRENG, Cambodia: Researchers are collecting samples from bats in northern Cambodia in a bid to understand the coronavirus pandemic, returning to a region where a very similar virus was found in the animals a decade ago. An eight-member IPC research team has been collecting samples from bats and logging their species, sex, age and other details for a week. But Veasna Duong said humans were responsible for the devastation caused by Covid-19, due to interference and destruction of natural habitats. "If we try to be near wildlife, the chances of getting the virus carried by wildlife are more than normal.

Source: Bangkok Post September 20, 2021 03:00 UTC