Two Strains of Coronavirus Identified by Chinese Scientists

Scientific researchers from China have discovered that two different types of coronavirus likely are behind the worldwide outbreak.

Scientists at Peking University’s School of Life Sciences and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai published their preliminary study of the virus on Tuesday. It was detailed in a report by CNBC.

The researchers noted the outbreak “started in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China and has since impacted a large portion of China and raised major global concern.”

They found that 70% of the analyzed strains came from a far more aggressive form of coronavirus. About 30% were believed to have come from a less aggressive type.

Researchers pointed out the more aggressive type was found to be prevalent in the early days of the outbreak in Wuhan. However, the frequency of this type has gone down from early January.

But they now believe the results indicate that the development of new variation of the virus was “likely caused by mutations and natural selection besides recombination.”

The Daily Mail noted that knowing that the virus can mutate could make it more difficult to keep track of or to treat.

And researchers said: “These findings strongly support an urgent need for further immediate, comprehensive studies that combine genomic data, epidemiological data, and chart records of the clinical symptoms of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)."

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