The first outbreak appeared in 2017,[2] where it caused the death of more than 24,000 piglets on 4 farms. In 2018 and 2019, the virus re-emerged in China, but there were not large-scale losses.[2] This weak re-emergence is curious, and is reminiscent of how SARS emerged in 2003 and then disappeared.[2]
During in vitro testing, human and monkey cell lines exposed to SADS-CoV became infected, suggesting that SADS-CoV may pose a risk to human health.[2]
The SADS-CoV sampled from one of the first infected pig farms was found to be 95% genetically identical to one collected from horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus), "indicating the bat origin of the pig virus".[1]
