O-68 - Three new Lao bat sarbecoviruses; BANAL-52 is 96.8% identical to SARS-CoV-2, exceeding RaTG13
Three new sarbecoviruses were isolated from cave bats in northern Laos - BANAL-52 (Rhinolophus malayanus), BANAL-103 (R. pusillus) and BANAL-236 (R. marshalli); BANAL-52 is 96.8% identical to SARS-CoV-2 across the whole genome, higher than RaTG13’s 96.1%, making it the closest known full-genome relative.
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Why this is evidence
A wild bat virus (BANAL-52, 96.8%) as the closest full-genome relative shows the bulk genome is samplable natural sarbecovirus material — mild support for H-41/H-42; weak, since H-43 also assumes a natural backbone.