Emerging bat virus in China shows signs of another pandemic, scientists warn it's 'just a step away'

A group of little-known bat viruses may be dangerously close to acquiring the ability to infect humans, raising alarms among virologists about the next potential spillover event. According to a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications, researchers in the United States have found that these viruses, which are closely related to the deadly MERS coronavirus, might need only a tiny genetic change to pose a serious threat to human health.

The viruses belong to a lesser-known subgroup of coronaviruses called merbecoviruses, a group that includes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). First detected in 2012, MERS-CoV is known for causing severe respiratory illness and carries a high fatality rate of around 34%. Unlike SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, MERS outbreaks have been relatively contained but far more lethal, particularly in hospital settings.

Now, scientists from Washington State University, Caltech, and the University of North Carolina are warning that a specific cluster within the merbecovirus family may be approaching a tipping point.

The study focused on a subgroup known as the HKU5 viruses, a lineage of bat coronaviruses that has largely flown under the radar of global surveillance and virological research. However, what the team discovered has triggered concern.