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The head of the Chinese team involved with the WHO-China Joint Mission, says the deadly coronavirus has not significantly mutated and the animal host could be a pangolin or a bat.
"The animal host has not been confirmed – a bat could be the host, but also a pangolin," said Liang Wannian, the head of the Chinese expert group. He is also in charge of responding to the virus epidemic at the National health Commission, said at the press briefing yesterday. The Global Times reports.
The joint expert team visited Wuhan over the weekend after completing investigations in Beijing, Guangdong province and southwestern Sichuan province.
The mission aims to learn more about the epidemic features, including the source of transmission, to better understand the Chinese government's policies and the future response to the epidemic, and make recommendations for relevant scientific research, Liang said.
"The transmission route is respiratory droplets. The fecal-oral route needs to be further studied," Liang said.

The pangolin is heavily trafficked via Malaysia to China and Vietnam, wildlife NGOs say. The scale are used in Chinese medicine and the meat is a delicacy.

Virus host could be pangolin, or bat, Chinese expert says