Scientists warn ‘striking’ mutations of coronavirus could alter the way the virus behaves

Chinese scientists have warned the coronavirus may be undergoing “striking” mutations to make it more adaptable.

“Striking” mutations of the coronavirus may have occurred during transmissions between family members, Chinese scientists say.

The effects of the mutations could have the potential to alter the way the virus behaves.

According to the South China Morning Post, some virus mutations can alter biological traits and allow them to adapt to different environments.

A new study by Professor Cui Jie and colleagues at the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, published in the National Science Review journal, indicated “viral evolution may have occurred during person-to-person transmission”.

“Close monitoring of the virus’s mutation, evolution and adaptation is needed,” they said.

The team of scientists detected a total of 17 nonsynonymous mutations from cases around the country between December 30 and late January — which could make them more adaptable.

The worrying new findings come as China has suffered its worst day of the coronavirus outbreak, with 120 people dying in one day.

The death toll from coronavirus in China has risen to 426 — exceeding the fatalities from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The number of people infected in China has skyrocketed to 20,438. In late January there were less than 1000 confirmed cases.

The World Health Organisation has declared the crisis a global health emergency, and the first foreign death from the virus was confirmed in the Philippines on Sunday.

The Chinese government also said it “urgently” needed medical equipment and surgical masks, protective suits, and safety goggles as it battles to control the outbreak.

Authorities in provinces that are home to more than 300 million people — including Guangdong, the country’s most populous — have ordered everyone to wear masks in public in an effort to contain the virus.

But factories capable of producing around 20 million masks a day are only operating at 60-70 per cent of capacity, industry department spokesman Tian Yulong said, adding that supply and demand remained in “tight equilibrium” as a result of the Lunar New Year break.

All but one of the 57 new deaths reported on Monday were in Wuhan and the rest of Hubei province, most of which has been under lockdown for almost two weeks.

The mortality rate for the new coronavirus is around 2.1 per cent, compared with 9.6 per cent for SARS.