The virus that causes COVID-19 is widespread in wildlife, Virginia Tech scientists find
Six of 23 common wildlife species showed signs of SARS-CoV-2 infections in an examination of animals in Virginia, as revealed by tracking the virus’s genetic code. A Virginia Tech study of wildlife common in Virginia found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is widespread in animals, particularly around areas of high human activity. The researchers identified variants consistent with those circulating in humans at the time, and one opossum with previously unreported viral mutations, underscoring the potential for changes that can potentially impact humans and their immune response. Photo by Joseph Hoyt for Virginia Tech. SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is widespread among wildlife species, according to Virginia Tech research published today in Nature Communications. The virus was detected in six common backyard species and antibodies indicating prior exposure to the virus were found in five species with rates of exposure ranging from 40 to 60 percent