RT.com
27 Jan 2022, 15:43 GMT+10
Covid-fighting antibodies do not protect from a new strain of coronavirus
Chinese scientists have warned of "a potential bio-safety threat" presented by a new strain of coronavirus, which, subject to mutation, may be passed from animals to humans and cannot be "cross-neutralized" by Covid-targeting antibodies.
The researchers, most of whom come from Wuhan University, "unexpectedly found" that the NeoCoV strain discovered in South Africa and its "close relative," PDF-2180-CoV, "can efficiently use some types of bat Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and, less favorably, human ACE2 for entry."
SARS-CoV-2, which was first identified in Wuhan and later caused the Covid-19 pandemic, uses ACE2 to enter the human body, too.
The preprint, published on the bioRxiv portal, says that infection with a strain, now targeting bats, "could not be cross-neutralized by antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV."
Admitting that the nature of NeoCoV "remains enigmatic," the scientists warn of a "potential bio-safety threat" for humans, "with both high fatality and transmission rate."
Other recent studies, also conducted by Chinese scientists, have shown that "the progenitor" of the Omicron variant, which caused a new wave of the infections around the world and is now dominant in many countries, "jumped from humans to mice, rapidly accumulated mutations conducive to infecting that host, then jumped back into humans."
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Beijing Bulletin news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Beijing Bulletin.
More InformationBEIJING, China: As global tech firms navigate rising geopolitical tensions, China has extended a warm signal to Apple, one of its most...
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA: Apple's ambitious foray into streaming is proving costly, with the company reportedly losing over US$1 billion...
Russia could offer its nuclear tech to support US interplanetary ambitions, sovereign wealth fund head Kirill Dmitriev has said Moscow...
New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has welcomed US President Donald Trump's recent recognition of India's...
Poland is preparing for the possibility of war by embarking on a dramatic military expansion, underlined by a plan to train every adult...
When top White House defense and national security leaders discussed plans for an attack on targets in Yemen over the messaging app...
BEIJING, China: As global tech firms navigate rising geopolitical tensions, China has extended a warm signal to Apple, one of its most...
NEW YORK, New York - Shares in automakers fell sharply Thursday after U.S.President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on all...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Federal safety regulators have launched a new investigation into Ford's best-selling F-150 pickup trucks after receiving...
WASHINGTON, D.C.:/SEOUL: Hyundai Motor Group is set to dramatically expand its U.S. footprint, with a US$20 billion investment that...
STANSTEAD, Quebec: U.S. authorities have decided to end a long-standing unwritten rule that allowed people from Stanstead, Quebec,...
NEW YOKK, New York - U.S. stocks fell sharply Wednesday with tech stocks, mainly those associated with AI, taking the brunt of the...