Rats are a nuisance in many big cities. This also applies to New York. Rat sightings have recently increased by 70% from two years ago. It is therefore assumed that the number of animals has increased significantly. And: Current studies are even fueling the suspicion that bad rodents can even transmit Corona.
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University of Missouri researchers tested rats for the Covid-19 virus in New York sewers. The background: Scientists want to track down a mysterious corona mutation that has only been found here, in the city’s sewage. The researchers also discovered rat DNA in these samples at the time.
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16 percent of rats infected with Corona
The new study has been published online and above all it shows that many rodents are or have been infected with the corona virus. Antibodies were found in just over 16 per cent, showing they had been exposed to the virus. Currently, just over five percent of rats have tested positive for the virus.
Given the gigantic overpopulation of rats in New York, scientists fear that the infection could spread from rodents to humans. “Over the past two-and-a-half years, we’ve noticed that the virus has jumped from humans to new animal populations,” said Dr. Julianna Lenoch at the New York Post. The reverse is therefore also conceivable.
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Corona: rodent-to-human transmission?
The possibility of rodent-to-human transmission cannot at least be ruled out and poses a risk, even if no concrete evidence has been found so far.
How the mysterious corona mutation in the New York sewers happened remains a mystery even after the study. However, Julianna Lenoch and her colleagues say it is imperative that we continue to monitor New York’s huge rat population. Also to rule out a corona risk for people.
