A new coronavirus that can spread to humans has been discovered by a China-linked scientist.
Researchers from Brazil, along with colleagues affiliated with the University of Hong Kong, discovered the new strain after swabbing the mouths and rectums of bats.
The novel strain is closely related to MERS — a disease that kills about 35 percent of the people it infects.
Researchers have warned that the makeup of the virus’s spike protein, which it uses to trigger an infection, means it can probably infect human cells.
The virus is now being transported to China, along with six other viruses discovered during the expedition.
Further tests will be carried out to determine if they can infect human cells, despite concerns about such experiments being linked to the COVID pandemic.
Lead researcher Dr. Bruna Silverio, from the University of São Paulo, said: “Right now, we aren’t sure it can infect humans.
“But we detected parts of the virus’s spike protein (which binds to mammalian cells), suggesting potential interaction with the receptor used by MERS-CoV.”