Is NeoCov a new COVID 19 variant? Does it pose threat to humans? What WHO says? Know important details

NeoCov COVID-19: 'NeoCov'! People must be afraid to hear this name and anticipating if this is a new variant of coronavirus.
 

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Well, a team of scientists from Wuhan has warned of a lethal variant called `NeoCov` that requires only one mutation to infiltrate human cells and carries the combination of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS)-CoV mortality rate (where one in every three infected persons may die) and the current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus high transmission rate, as per an IANS report.

Can NeoCov penetrate human cells?  

NeoCov can penetrate human cells in the same way as the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the scientists from Wuhan University believe.

"It is only one mutation away from becoming dangerous for humans," researchers said in a paper posted on preprint website bioRxiv which has not been peer-reviewed yet.

NeoCoV has been discovered among bats in South Africa and has only been known to spread among these animals to date.

The MERS-CoV and several bat coronaviruses employ `DPP4` as their functional receptors.

However, the receptor for NeoCoV, the closest MERS-CoV relative yet discovered in bats, remains "enigmatic".

In the study, the researchers unexpectedly found that NeoCoV and its close relative, PDF-2180-CoV, can efficiently use some types of bat Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and, less favourably, human ACE2 for entry.

"NeoCoV efficiently infects human ACE2 expressing cells after a T510F mutation on the receptor-binding motif (RBM). Notably, the infection could not be cross-neutralised by antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV," the study showed.

Notably, the infection could not be cross-neutralised by antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV, the researchers said.

What does WHO say?

However, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the question of whether the NeoCov coronavirus, recently discovered in bats in South Africa, poses a threat to humans, requires further study.

"Whether the virus detected in the study will pose a risk for humans will require further study," the health body was quoted as saying to TASS news agency.

The WHO added that it "works closely" with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP)in order to "monitor and respond to the threat of emerging zoonotic viruses."

The WHO told TASS that its experts were aware of this research, and "thank the researchers for sharing their findings in a preprint."

"Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 75 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses. Coronaviruses are often found in animals, including in bats which have been identified as a natural reservoir of many of these viruses," the global body said.

The Chinese scientists said that they "unexpectedly found that NeoCoV and its close relative, PDF-2180-CoV, can efficiently use some types of bat Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and, less favourably, human ACE2 for entry".