Scientists from China’s Wuhan region have warned of a new variant of COVID-19 named “NeoCov” in South Africa, which is said to have a high transmission and death rate.
A recently published and yet to be peer reviewed study says the NeoCov has been known to exist in the bat population in South Africa. However, it has now been discovered that NeoCoV and its close relative PDF-2180-CoV could also infect humans.
The study notes that NeoCov shared close similarities with the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), a virus which was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
Researchers have revealed that NeoCoV combines detrimental properties of two currently existing viruses. It has exhibited a similar mortality rate to MERS, with the possibility of one in every three infected people dying and has a comparable transmission rate to the current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
The researchers found that the NeoCov infection could not be neutralized via antibodies targeting COVID-19 or MERS.
Speaking with Russian news agency Tass, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that further study was required if the NeoCov virus posed a threat to humans or not. It said that coronaviruses are commonly found in animals, especially bats, who were known to be a reservoir for these types of viruses.
The global health body said that it is aware of the study and was in communication with World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization to prepare a response.
Comments are closed.