Scientists warn that a new coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, discovered in China, is just one mutation away from potentially causing a new pandemic, as it is closely related to the deadly MERS virus and could mutate to infect humans, especially given the risks posed by wildlife trade.
A recent study warns that a bat coronavirus in China, HKU5-CoV-2, could potentially cause a human outbreak with just one mutation in its spike protein, raising concerns about its pandemic potential due to its similarity to MERS and ability to infect animal hosts. Researchers used AI tools to analyze the virus's capacity to bind to human receptors, emphasizing the need for vigilance despite no current human infections.