A study conducted at the Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics (DHEMS) of the School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, provided a full-genome evolutionary analysis of the novel corona virus (2019-nCoV), responsible for the  recent epidemic which initiated in Wuhan, China.                

The results of the study suggest that the 2019-nCoV probably originated from a corona virus infecting bats. Moreover, it appears that the virus that infected humans is not the result of a recent genetic recombination, a mechanism that can alter dramatically the genetic makeup and biological characteristic of a virus.

The study entitled: «Full-genome evolutionary analysis of the novel corona virus (2019-nCoV) rejects the hypothesis of emergence as a result of a recent recombination event» was conducted by Drs. Dimitrios Paraskevis, Evangelia-Georgia Kostaki and  Gkikas Magiorkinis at DHEMS; Dr. Georgios Panayiotakopoulos, School of Medicine, University of Patras and Vice Chair of the Hellenic National Public Health Organization; Dr. Georgios Sourvinos, School of Medicine, University of Crete; and Dr. Sotirios Tsiodras, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens               

The study was published in the journal Infection Genetics and Evolution

(https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1aVJ85aKq2HtQV) and is also available on the bioRvix preprint server

(https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.26.920249v1)

Relevant news reports can be found in the following links:

https://www.cnn.gr/news/ellada/story/205690/neos-koronaios-ellines-epistimones-apokalyptoyn-apo-poy-proilthe-o-2019-ncov-anelysan-to-gonidioma

https://www.kathimerini.gr/1062481/article/ygeia/ygeia-epikairothta/ellhnes-episthmones-oi-nyxterides-h-pio-pi8anh-phgh-proeleyshs-toy-neoy-korwnoioy

https://www.skai.gr/news/ygeia/ti-lene-oi-ellines-epistimones-gia-ton-koronoiota-genetika-xaraktiristika-tou

https://www.reader.gr/news/ygeia/318758/ellines-epistimones-vrikan-ti-syndesi-toy-koronaioy-me-tis-nyhterides

https://www.real.gr/ygeia/arthro/elliniki_meleti_gia_tin_anadeiksi_ton_genetikon_xaraktiristikon_tou_neou_koronoiou_pio_pithani_pigi_proeleusis_oi_nyxterides-606326/

https://virus.com.gr/ereyna-ellinon-epistimonon-gia-ton-koronoio/

http://newpost.gr/ygeia/5e31949c794c109e661edd9b/elliniki-meleti-oi-nyhterides-i-pio-pithani-pigi-proeleysis-toy-koronoioy

https://www.healthreportaz.gr/30321/meleti-ellinon-loimoxiologon-deichnei-pos-o-koronaios-proilthe-apo-tis-nychterides/

https://www.tovima.gr/2020/02/01/society/koronoios-elliniki-meleti-deixnei-tin-pigi-tou-kakou/