Member-only story
What Animal Is Covid-19 From Originally?
How the virus spread to people
Where did Covid-19 come from?
Illnesses that animals spread to people are known as zoonotic diseases—or zoonoses—and it’s estimated that they cause about one billion cases of human illness every year. The new coronavirus likely originated in animals, though what type is still under investigation. Here are two explainers from scientists on how diseases spillover into people.