Scientists in Wuhan, China, express concern about a more contagious and potentially deadly strain of coronavirus niokovThe World Health Organization (WHO) stressed that it still needs to be studied whether it poses a threat to humans.
Scientists have clarified, NeoCov is related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or MERS-Coronavirus. “The virus has been discovered in a population of bats in South Africa and is currently only spreading among animals,” the scientists said, adding that “for the virus to be able to infiltrate human cells, it only One mutation is enough.”
What did the WHO say?
“Whether the virus found in the study would pose a risk to humans would require further study,” WHO told Russian news agency Tass.
“Animals, especially wild animals, are the source of more than 75% of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Coronaviruses are frequently found in animals, including bats that have been exposed to natural reservoirs. Many of these viruses have been identified,” WHO said.
The WHO is aware of the new discovery by the Wuhan scientists and is in contact with the World Organization for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization for their response.
What are scientists saying?
NeoCoV was found in a population of bats in South Africa and to date has spread exclusively among these animals. However, the study, not yet peer-reviewed and released on the BioRxiv website, found, NeoCoV and its close relative, PDF-2180-CoV, enter some form of bat angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). And humans can use ACE2. ,
Scientists claim that just one mutation is enough for the virus to be able to infiltrate human cells.
According to Chinese researchers, NeoCoV carries a possible combination of MERS-high CoV mortality (one in every three infected person dies) and the current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus’s high transmission rate.
What is MERS-CoV virus?
The MERS-CoV virus is similar to SARS-CoV-2 in terms of symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. The disease was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and was prevalent in Middle-Eastern countries in 2012 and 2015.
Most human cases of MERS-CoV infection are spread by human-to-human infections. Many people have lost their lives due to MERS-CoV.
Can covid vaccines protect us from NeoCov?
The researchers further noted that NeoCov infection cannot be cross-neutralized by antibodies targeting either SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV.
“Considering the widespread mutations in the RBD regions of SARS-CoV-2 variants, particularly the heavily mutated Omicron variant, these viruses may have the latent potential to infect humans through further adaptation,” the study authors said. Is.”
(with inputs from agencies)
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