They suggest that although the "exact circumstances remain obscure," the virus was probably present in live animals sold at the market in late 2019. The researchers determined that the earliest Covid-19 cases were centered at the market among vendors who sold these live animals or people who shopped there. "All eight COVID-19 cases detected prior to 20 December were from the western side of the market, where mammal species were also sold," the study says. The proximity to five stalls that sold live or recently butchered animals was predictive of human cases. The other study takes a molecular approach and seems to determine when the first coronavirus infections crossed from animals to humans.

Source: CNN July 27, 2022 06:14 UTC