The World Health Organisation reacted to news that Chinese scientists had found a new strain of virus belonging to the coronavirus family which might be more deadly.
The WHO reportedly said that the NeoCov coronavirus requires further study to ascertain whether it poses a risk to humans. The global health body said coronaviruses are often found in animals, including bats which are natural reservoirs of many such viruses. The WHO said that it is working actively to tackle zoonotic viruses, as per reports.
ALSO WATCH | Wuhan scientists warn of 'deadlier' coronavirus strain NeoCov: all we know so far
Earlier, a team of researchers from China's Wuhan said that they had found a new kind of coronavirus among bats in South Africa. Wuhan is where the first cases of Covid-19 emerged, according to most accounts.
The researchers reportedly said that the NeoCov virus is just one mutation away from becoming dangerous for humans. They said that NeoCov is closely related to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS, a disease first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The researchers reportedly said that the newly-found virus may have the potential of becoming a disease with high fatality and transmission if it spreads to humans.
Their study is yet to be peer reviewed.