Beijing: A new coronavirus discovered in China, known as HKU5-CoV-2, is potentially on the verge of mutating in a way that could lead to human infection, raising concerns about another possible global pandemic, experts have warned. Scientists have found that this variant may be able to infect a wider range of animals compared to Covid-19, which was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide, and could potentially jump between species more easily.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, US researchers have expressed concerns that HKU5-CoV-2, which was discovered in China in February, might also have the capability to infect humans, potentially leading to a widespread outbreak. A study published in Nature Communications examined a lesser-known group of coronaviruses called merbecoviruses, which includes HKU5 and MERS-CoV, the latter being responsible for the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.
The research team from Washington State University investigated how this new pathogen interacts with human cells
and discovered that a minor alteration in the virus’s spike protein could enable it to attach to human ACE2 cells found in the throat, mouth, and nose. HKU5-CoV-2 has shown the ability to infect and replicate inside human cells in both the airways and the gut.
The World Health Organisation reports that approximately 35 percent of individuals infected with MERS die from the illness, with 858 known fatalities since its emergence in 2012 across 27 countries. However, upon the discovery of HKU5 in February, scientists cautioned against overestimating its risks as it does not invade human cells as easily as Sars-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19.
HKU5 was initially detected in bats by researchers at a Chinese laboratory, which some claim was the origin of Covid-19 in 2019. Professor Michael Letko, a virologist and co-leader of the study, emphasized the importance of understanding HKU5 viruses, stating, “Our study shows how these viruses infect cells. What we also found is HKU5 viruses may be only a small
step away from being able to spill over into humans.”
The emergence of Covid-19 was largely attributed to markets in China where wild animals are kept in close proximity and often slaughtered near other animals, creating a conducive environment for new zoonotic diseases-those that can spread to humans-to emerge. The scientists’ experiments indicate that for the new pathogen to infect humans, it would need to undergo specific mutations.
Professor Letko noted the potential threat, saying, “These viruses are closely related to MERS, so we have to be concerned if they ever infect humans. While there’s no evidence they’ve crossed into people yet, the potential is there and that makes them worth watching.”