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Any genetic mutation which causes premature death of the host, or fails to be communicative will generally die off. Any mutation which keeps the host alive (or

• not2b 5y ago
  Unfortunately, mink and white-tailed deer (the most common deer in the eastern US) are Covid reservoirs now. Probably other mammals as well.
• heavyset_go 5y ago
  > Any genetic mutation which causes premature death of the host, or fails to be communicative will generally die off. Any mutation which keeps the host alive (or at least longer), or makes it easier to transmit the virus to another host, will keep the virus around. Not necessarily[1]: > Some viruses provoke severe symptoms in their hosts that make it easier to transmit the virus to others. But those same symptoms can wind up killing the hosts. > Adalja said one example is Ebola, a deadly virus that spreads through the blood and body fluids of infected people. Another example is norovirus, which causes diarrhea and vomiting, and leads to hundreds of deaths each year in the U.S. > “The virus, speaking anthropomorphically, just wants to spread and have its genes replicated,” said Adalja. “If the best way for it is to spread by causing severe symptoms it will continue to do that.” [1] https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-011488089270 https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-011488089270