Scientists in China have found a bat virus is South Africa is one mutation away from crossing into humans and potentially spreading from person to person.
A new study claims the virus, named NeoCov, shows a potential not seen before which could allow it to mutate and spread more easily from bats to humans, and then from person to person.
NeoCov has been found in bats in South Africa, and is closely related to MERSCov - which has infected 2,583 people since 2012 and killed 888.
While MERSCov is most commonly spread from camels to people, the new China study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, puts forward the theory that MERSCov2, also known as NeoCov, would need just one mutation to become a human to human disease.
The virus is a second iteration of MERSCov, in the same way that Covid-19 is caused by a second iteration of SARSCov.
The study published in Biorxiv found the virus is the first of its kind to use an enzyme called ACE2 to spread. That ACE2 enzyme allows it to spread to humans - although not very efficiently. But the study found that one mutation greatly increases how easily the virus can spread to and between people - in theory.
The study says the NeoCov virus is also not stopped by antibodies to MERS or Covid-19. So neither previous infection with a similar illness or the Covid vaccine would stop you catching it.
Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told The Independent, the research highlights the potential danger of animal diseases that could spread to people.
But he said there is no indication that NeoCov is a current threat.
He said: "We need to see more data confirming human infection and associated severity before getting anxious."
