Chinese scientists have identified the new NeoCov coronavirus strain in bats in South Africa and the possible risks from the strain require further research and assessment.
At the moment, there are no discussions about the emergence of a new coronavirus that is ready to actively spread in the human population. The risks identified by Chinese experts are potential and require further study.
The virus in question is said to be a close relative of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) but has similar ways of entry into human cells as SARS-CoV-2.
