A number of experts don’t see anything threatening about the virus NeoCoV yet, downplaying its potential impact on people.
The news: Scientists from Wuhan, China, recently rediscovered the NeoCoV coronavirus spreading through bats in South Africa, according to Business Insider.
- NeoCoV is a virus with connections to Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS COV).
- The virus was discovered in 2012 and 2015 in Middle Eastern countries.
- NeoCoV, though, has striking similarities to SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus) in humans.
Yes, but: Doctors and experts from India weighed in on the virus, saying people shouldn’t panic, according to the WION.
- “Currently, there is no direct evidence that NeoCov affects the human body, and we should not panic or get stressed,” said Dr. Rahul Pandit, a member of India’s National and Maharashtra’s COVID-19 Taskforce.
- “There are many viruses in the world that are yet to be discovered and whose characteristics are not known,” said Pandit.
- We are going through a challenging time and should focus on managing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I advise people not to panic, keep their guard up and follow COVID-19 appropriate protocols,” he added.
Next up: Scientists said they’re still unsure what to do next about NeoCoV and that more research is needed.
- “Whether the virus detected in the study will pose a risk for humans will require further study,” the World Health Organization told Russian news agency TASS.