Snakes may be to blame for the deadly coronavirus originating in China
New research shows that the deadly coronavirus that has killed 17 people in China may have originated from snakes.
A study published Wednesday by Chinese scientists in , showed that the deadly virus may have originated in a highly venomous snake called the Chinese krait.
Scientists examined protein codes from patients and compared them with samples from animals infected with the virus, including snakes, .
Researchers found that the samples found in people were most similar to those found in Chinese krait and Chinese cobra.
The Chinese government revealed that seven of the 17 people who have died from the Wuhan coronavirus did not have pre-existing conditions before they contracted the illness.
More than 500 people have been infected in five countries, including the United States.
A Washington man in his 30s who was diagnosed had recently traveled from Wuhan and was being kept in isolation "out of an abundance of caution," according to health officials.
Authorities in China on Thursday enforced a partial lockdown in the central city of Wuhan, as well as nearby Huanggang and Ezhou, as authorities battle to contain the deadly outbreak.
The Wuhan virus is a cousin of SARS and MERS. All three are coronaviruses.