Another bat virus has scared everyone, including the tourism industry of Thailand, along with its Ministry of Health, Chinese researchers in the infamous Wuhan. This is a known type of bat coronavirus – there is a risk that it will mutate and be transmitted to humans. And it will be three times more deadly.
The new virus was announced, in particular, by the Deputy Chairman of the Public Health Commission of Thailand Chalermchay Bunyalifan. “If the virus mutated and entered the human population, it could turn into Covid-22 and eventually become MERS-CoV-2.” Symptoms are likely to be “three times more deadly” than Covid-19, given the more than 30 percent mortality of its cousin MERS. Covid-22 will kill 17 million people compared to Covid-19, which killed 5.67 million, “he said.
This statement is based on a study presented by scientists from Wuhan University, who published an article on the preprint site bioRxiv. In it, they identified a virus in South African bats that could pose a danger to humans if it continued to mutate. The virus, called NeoCoV, was first identified in 2011. It is not thought to be contagious to humans, but researchers warn that the virus needs another key mutation to make it possible.
“The virus can enter human cells through the ACE2 receptor, as does Covid-19, but currently it cannot do so effectively. Close relatives of MERS-CoV in bats use ACE2 as their functional receptors. NeoKoV is only one mutation in order to become dangerous to humans, “- said scientists.
Also read: A new modification of the virus is beginning to overtake Omicron. What is known about the new option
They also added that the virus is similar to MERS 2012, also known as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or Camel Flu, which first appeared in Saudi Arabia. MERS mortality is about 34%.
However, the study has not yet been reviewed. However, the researchers also scared the public that the antibodies Covid-19 and MERS do not work against NeoCoV, which makes useless antibodies derived from current vaccines and past infections of its coronavirus counterparts.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: “Doctors have given advice on how to restore the sense of smell after COVID.”