Researchers Find New Corona Virus Variants In Brazil In Bat Species

JAKARTA - Scientists have discovered a new type of coronavirus in a Brazilian bat species known as plate bats.

Reporting from the Times of India page on Saturday, November 8, 2025, this virus is named BRZ batCoV. Interestingly, this virus has a genetic resemblance to SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes COVID-19.

These findings reveal similar viruses may have been circulating longer in Latin America, but have not been detected due to the lack of samples and monitoring of wildlife.

The discovery confirms the need for increased scrutiny of bat populations, as viruses that live in nature can evolve and one day potentially spread to humans.

In addition, these findings also provide new insight into how the coronavirus develops naturally over time.

Research published on the scientific platform BioRxiv states the existence of BRZ batCoV provides evidence that genetic mutations are important in viruses that can arise naturally, without laboratory interference. This reinforces the understanding of the evolution of the coronavirus from wild animals.

One of the most prominent things about BRZ batCoV is the presence of a furine cleavage site, which is a small part of the virus structure that makes it easier for viruses to enter the host's body cells, including human cells.

This feature was previously the subject of debate because it was considered evidence of laboratory manipulation in the Covid-19 virus.

According to Dr. Koloda Takada from Osaka University, this feature can naturally emerge through different evolutionary processes on the lineage of the coronavirus.

In other words, the appearance of a fuel cleavage site in BRZ batCoV supports the theory of similar features in SARS-CoV-2 that can also appear in nature without human engineering.

Experts like Prof. Stuart Neil of King's College London insists this feature is not rare and can be found in various types of viruses.

He added that the evolutionary pressure that makes this feature form in bats or after the virus moves to other species is still not fully understood.

Prof. David Robertson from the University of Glasgow also explained that some parts of the genome of the corona virus are very easy to mutate, so the emergence of features like this is a natural phenomenon that can occur repeatedly.

The BRZ batCoV virus was found through a sample of intestinal tissue from 70 bats in the region of Maranhao and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Until now, there is no evidence that this virus can infect humans or other animals. In addition, the virus itself has not been successfully isolated physically. This study is based on digital genetic analysis.

Although it does not show any direct threat, these findings highlight the importance of monitoring the health of wildlife, especially in areas that have been less researched, such as South America. So far, coronavirus research has focused more on Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Dr. Takada emphasized that discoveries like this show the potential emergence of new diseases actually spread throughout the world, not only in certain areas.

Monitoring the diversity of viruses in wild animals is an important step to prevent the spread of disease, before the virus adapts and transmits to humans.