OREANDA-NEWS  Reports of the new coronavirus detected in Brazil in bats are under the control of Rospotrebnadzor, the risk of transmission of the virus from animals to humans remains low, the agency told reporters.

The ministry clarified that Brazilian scientists have identified the new coronavirus BRZ batCoV in a small species of insectivorous bats. The samples for the study were collected in the Brazilian states of Maranhão and São Paulo. According to the results of the genetic analysis, BRZ batCoV belongs to the genus of beta-coronaviruses, which includes the pathogens COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), MERS (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV.

"Reports of a new coronavirus detected in Brazil in bats are being closely monitored by Rospotrebnadzor. Specialists from the department's leading research organizations are actively studying BRZ batCoV. Currently, the risk of transmission of the virus from animals to humans remains low, but continued monitoring and in-depth research is necessary to ensure safety and preparedness for possible challenges in the future," the ministry said.

Brazilian researchers note that at the moment there is no evidence that the new coronavirus poses a threat to humans. At the same time, BRZ batCoV revealed a short section of a spike–like protein that is potentially cleavable by enzymes in human and animal cells, a feature that facilitates the penetration of viruses into host cells. Previously, such a genetic trait had not been recorded in bat coronaviruses of the American continent, which suggests its independent occurrence in populations of South America, the press service added.