According to a genetic analysis at Peking University in China, the new mysterious and deadly coronavirus that is quickly spreading in China and to other countries may have jumped to people from Chinese snakes.
The source of the infection was traced to a food market in Wuhan visited by several of those first infected with the virus, and the market is known to sell live wild and farmed animals as marmots, birds, rabbits, bats and also snakes.
The study by the team at Peking University compared the genomes of five samples of the new virus with 217 similar viruses collected from a range of animal species.
And found that genetically, the new virus looks similar to those found in bats, but is actually most like viruses seen in snakes.
Researchers in China and the U.S. think the new virus may have formed as a result of viruses from bats and snakes combining. Which can happen when two species of animal are kept in close quarters such as what happened in the Chinese food market.
The virus could have then passed to people through the air which is how a coronavirus is transmitted.
As the virus in secretions of the snakes would be possible to aerosolize and be breathed in if there were enough snakes and enough people in an area.
The new virus is spreading quickly, as new reports say as many as 4000 people are infected with the virus and with about 500 seriously ill and around 17 people having died from it, as numbers continue to increase.
Cases have not only been reported in Wuhan, but its also spreading into surrounding regions, with reports in Guangdong province, Beijing, and in Shanghai. While internationally, so far cases have been reported in Thailand, Japan, South Korea and the US.
This outbreak is happening at a peak time of domestic and international travel for the Chinese as they travel to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
In new efforts to contain the virus, the city of Wuhan with a population of over 11 million people, has effectively been placed under quarantine, with public transport being closed down.
In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have implemented screening of passengers arriving from Wuhan, China, at major U.S. airports.
The Biblical prophecies (Matthew 24, Luke 21, Revelation 6) foretell that pestilence will be a sign of the Last Days indicating the coming end of this age of grace.
These events and conditions happening now are signs pointing to the nearing fulfillment of the Last Days prophecies at the end of this age revealing it’s time to prepare for the nearing appearance of Jesus Christ for His Church by being born again spiritually into the Kingdom of God as Jesus said we must (John 3) and His Apostles who were authorized (Matthew 16:19) described how (Acts 2).
Preparing those Biblically born again into the Kingdom of God to be ready to escape all the things that will come to pass, in the wrath of the tribulation of Revelation prophecy, that comes upon the world of disobedience. As the born again Church is not appointed unto wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10) but instead to salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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