A new study published Friday found multiple instances of humans transmitting COVID-19 to various wild animals in Virginia.
The researchers sampled 23 animal species in Virginia and Washington, DC, between May 2022 and September 2023. They found COVID-19 in six species: deer mice, Virginia opossums, raccoons, groundhogs, cottonwolves and bats. report.
This is an important study given that previous documented infections have been found in captive animals, but only one wild species, the white-tailed deer.
The study found that areas with high human activity had three times higher COVID-19 infection rates than areas with low human activity. (Related article: Hong Kong to cull 2,000 animals after hamsters infected with COVID-19)
Study finds hikers spreading COVID-19 to Virginia wildlife https://t.co/lQoO32nHYU
— The Hill (@thehill) July 29, 2024
According to lead researcher Dr Jane Smith, the implications of this research could be important for public health: “Understanding how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with wildlife is crucial for predicting and preventing potential future epidemics,” she asserted.
“I think the big takeaway from this study is that this virus is everywhere,” said Amanda Goldberg of Virginia Tech's School of Biological Sciences. The Hill.
Studies suggest that hikers are spreading the coronavirus to animals through food waste they leave in the surrounding area.
“Viruses can be transmitted from humans to wild animals during contact between humans and wild animals, in the same way that a hitchhiker might jump to a new, more suitable host,” Carla Finkelstein of Virginia Tech told The Hill.
