NeoCov: Why Wuhan scientists warn of this new 'deadlier' strain found in bats?

Amid the threat of Omicron, the non-lethal Covid variant, surging cases across the world, scientists from Wuhan have warned of a new type of coronavirus ‘NeoCov’ in South Africa, according to a report by the Russian news agency Sputnik. 

The mortality rate in the NeoCov virus is very high - 'one in every three infected individuals' as per the finding of Chinese researchers, the new research paper that is yet to be peer-reviewed, cited.

The new research carried out by scientists at Wuhan University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Biophysics studied NeoCov - which emerged along with MERS-Cov and found in bats in South Africa.

Early research states that Neo-Cov is not a new Covid variant but is a strain or another type of coronavirus that was first reported during the outbreak of MERS-Cov between 2012-2015. Unlike Delta, Delta plus or Omicron, Neo-Cov is new type of novel virus. 

Scientist say that the virus was found in bats in South Africa and only one mutation is required for the virus to infiltrate human cells. 

The research also stated that the novel virus poses a risk because it binds to the ACE2 receptor differently unlike the current strains. In that case, neither antibodies nor protein molecules produced by people with respiratory diseases or who have been immunised can fight against NeoCoV. Early finding also mention that the current immunity and antibodies may not be effective against the virus.