Researchers use AI to determine which animals transmit COVID-19
The current coronavirus pandemic is far from over, leading scientists are asking themselves how the next pandemic can be prevented. It is naive to believe that such a pandemic only happens once a century, especially today when we are getting closer and closer to the animal kingdom. Artificial intelligence could also help prevent new outbreaks.
The idea comes from the University of Liverpool. Here researchers have fed an algorithm with dozens of data in order to predict which mammals could be considered as carriers of new virus species. Specifically with regard to SARS-CoV-2, the following animals could also be considered as carriers of new virus strains: hedgehogs, rabbits or domestic cats.
A total of 411 coronavirus strains have been linked to 876 species of mammals. The researchers estimate that over 40 times more species could be infected with the virus than previously assumed. Up to 30 times more species could transmit SARS-CoV-2 recombinations, including the dromedary, the African green monkey and the small Asian yellow bat.
A total of 126 non-human species could carry the currently rampant coronavirus. Although that sounds worrying at first, the scientists emphasize that the newly acquired knowledge can be used to quickly bring local outbreaks under control or to avoid them in advance.
It is also important here that the current study is based on limited data and that there may be study biases for certain species. More studies are needed to make our planet a little safer in the future. Because Corona will not go away for a long time, but we can learn from the mistakes that are revealed.
Own opinion:
In my opinion, the current coronavirus pandemic brings one thing to light: We are lucky that a pandemic of the current magnitude has not occurred in the last two decades. Humans penetrate further and further into the habitats of animals, so it is becoming more and more likely that a virus will jump from animal to human. The study presented here shows that dangers can lurk around every corner, one reason to be better prepared for the future.
via The Next Web
