Everything About NeoCov You Should Know

Deadly virus infection has emerged in 2019 called COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Wuhan, China, reported the first case or patient zero of this infection. The virus spread quickly to other countries due to its many mutations and variants. Two COVID-19 variants - the Delta variant and the newly detected Omicron variant - hover in the skies and wreak havoc in countries across Europe and the Americas. Meanwhile, despite the worldwide battle with SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, scientists in Wuhan, the place where the virus is believed to have originated, have raised concerns over a new strain of coronavirus that is 'deadlier' and potentially more destructive than COVID-19. The NeoCov Coronavirus has two worrying characteristics: it is highly transmissible as well as has a high mortality rate. Among the patients, one in three could die from Neo-Cov infection, according to the Wuhan scientists. Should we be concerned? Does it threaten fully protected individuals as well? We've listed the facts we know so far about the highly contagious virus below.

Is NeoCov a New Variation of COVID-19?

This is not a new variant of COVID-19. The first report of this virus came from South Africa, and it is a new strain or type of coronavirus, just like SARS-CoV-2. Death rates and transmission rates are high with NeoCov. In terms of relatedness, it is most similar to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). In 2012 and 2015, MERS-CoV outbreaks in Middle Eastern countries revealed a coronavirus strain that was linked to the MERS-CoV virus. In a study to be published soon, Wuhan scientists have noted that NeoCov can infect humans too. Thus far, this new Coronavirus has mainly been found affecting animals.

Do We Need to Worry About NeoCov?

NeoCov has primarily been observed infecting animals, particularly bats. As reported by Sputnik, the study, published on the bioRxiv site, claims that Neo-Cov and its close relative PDF-2180-CoV could infect humans. In a report, it was said that this new coronavirus strain was a mutation away from taking the form of a virus that is capable of easily entering the body and spreading through it. NeoCov, a form of Coronavirus, penetrates human cells in the same way as SARS-CoV-2, according to Wuhan scientists. Researchers warned that if one mutation happens, it could become dangerous to humans, in a paper posted on bioRxiv, but not yet peer-reviewed.

What is the Danger of the NeoCov Coronavirus Strain?

One in three people infected with NeoCov die from complications, experts say, even though this variant is one mutation away from being dangerous. The high transmission rate of COVID-19 and the high mortality rate of MERS-CoV are both characteristics of NeoCov. A NeoCov infection has a mortality rate of about 33%, which means roughly one in three people die from it, they said.

NeoCov: What Are The Symptoms?

There have been no new symptoms reported so far due to the fact that the new strain is still being investigated by experts. NeoCov is known to spread among animals, but scientists claim it could also affect humans if the symptoms are similar to those of SARS-CoV-2. COVID symptoms include a rash, fever, stomach ache, diarrhea, headache, body ache, muscle pain, and loss of taste and smell.

Does the Covid-19 Vaccine Work Against NeoCov?

"Unexpectedly, some forms of NeoCoV's close relative, PDF-2180-CoV, were able to use bat ACE2 for entry and human ACE2 less well," the scientists from China reported. A study has demonstrated the first use of ACE2 in viruses causing MERS, revealing a potentially dangerous bio-safety risk of an ACE2 using 'MERS-CoV-2' with high mortality and transmission rates. In addition, the researchers reported they could not cross-neutralize the infection with antibodies targeting MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2.

The study concluded that antibodies or immunity gained from vaccination or from prior Covid-19 infections may not be effective in protecting a person from NeoCov infection. As a result, NeoCov does not bind to the ACE2 receptor-like SARS-CoV-2 does. The discovery of this particular strain is quite serious and interesting, but it is very hard to calculate its direct danger. We need, however, to study the multitude of such strains circulating in the wild, to study the genetic diversity surrounding them, and to encourage research in this area, says Sergey Alkhovsky, head of the biotechnology lab at the Gamaleya Center.

What does WHO have to say about NeoCov?

Researchers claim it has the potential to mutate, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has said further study is needed to define its potential. The WHO claims that further investigation of the NeoCov Coronavirus, discovered recently in South Africa, is needed to determine whether humans are at risk. According to a statement from the global health body, "Whether the virus detected in the study is dangerous to humans is still being investigated." The organization further stated it "works closely" with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to "monitor and respond to the threat of emerging zoonotic viruses."

Researchers have shared their findings in a preprint, which the WHO said was an indication that scientists were aware of this work. "Animals, especially wild animals, are responsible for more than 75 percent of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses," the WHO said.


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