Where Do Most Viruses Originate?

The world is currently fighting a major pandemic caused by the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus. While there are several conspiracy theories surrounding the origin of this virus, the only fact we know is that the first case was identified in Wuhan, China. The wet market of this province was apparently blamed for spreading the virus. But, again, these are just assumptions and not proven facts. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions on the origin of viruses and how they spread so easily.

Where Do Most Viruses Come From?

This isn’t the first time we are striving hard to contain the spread of a virus. SARS, Swine flu, MERS, Ebola, etc are some of the viruses that have already caused a global pandemic. Since each virus is unique, it is still unclear where they originate. 

Do All Viruses Come From Animals?

No, not all viruses emerge from animals. But, the majority of the deadly viruses so far like West Nile virus, MERS, rabies, and plague have come from animals according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Can Viruses Originate in a Lab?

Another conspiracy theory surrounding the origin of COVID-19 is that it was developed in a lab by China in order to launch a  biowar on the USA. We cannot completely call this a man-made virus because viruses like SARS, and MERS from the Coronavirus family have already existed for years before the outbreak of COVID-19.

Can Viruses Evolve?

Yes, viruses do evolve. Viruses under various conditions can evolve and find themselves a new host by the process of replication. Once the virus establishes an infection on the host, it replicates itself and transmits to others. 

Various scientists around the world have come up with COVID-19 vaccines that are currently under clinical trials. It might take a few more months for the vaccine to become commercially available. Until then, following proper sanitary measures will help us from getting infected.