We showed that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is probably a novel recombinant virus. Its genome is closest to that of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronaviruses from horseshoe bats, and its receptor-binding domain is closest to that of pangolin viruses. Its origin and direct ancestral viruses have not been identified.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; bats; coronavirus disease; genomic analysis; recombinant virus; recombination; respiratory infections; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.