One of the 24 coronaviruses was the closest strain yet to Covid-19. One of the 24 coronaviruses was the closest strain yet to Covid-19. Chinese researchers have found a series of new coronaviruses in bats, including one that's the second-closest genetically to Covid-19. "In total, we assembled 24 novel coronavirus genomes from different bat species, including four SARS-CoV-2 like coronaviruses," the researchers wrote in the report, released on Thursday, in the journal Cell. "Aside from bats and humans, coronaviruses can infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals, including pigs, cattle, mice, cats, dogs, chickens, deer and hedgehogs."

Source: New Zealand Herald June 11, 2021 13:41 UTC