Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Jan 29: NeoCov, a form of coronavirus that spreads among bats in South Africa, poses a possible threat to people, according to the World Health Organization.
The WHO said, “Whether the virus detected in the study will pose a risk for humans will require further study,” as quoted by news agency TASS. The WHO also said it was working closely with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP) to “monitor and respond to the threat of emerging zoonotic viruses.”
“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 WHO said.
What is NeoCov?
NeoCoV is a catch-all moniker for a virus variant associated with MERS-CoV. MERS-CoV is one of seven coronaviruses that can infect people and belongs to the wider coronavirus family.
During the 2010s, MERS-CoV produced substantial epidemics in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea. According to the World Health Organization, roughly 35% of MERS-CoV infection cases have resulted in death. This coronavirus may have a variation known as NeoCoV.