Researchers in China (RT) – many reportedly from Wuhan University – have warned a new strain of coronavirus they discovered could pose a “potential bio-safety threat” that could evade antibodies and be passed animal-to-human.
The scientists claim they “unexpectedly found” the NeoCoV strain uncovered in South Africa can infect bats and humans – and “could not be cross-neutralized by antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV.”
The nature of NeoCoV “remains enigmatic,” the scientists warn of a “potential bio-safety threat” for humans, “with both high fatality and transmission rate.”