What is human coronavirus detected in a Kolkata woman? Here's all you need to know about this strain

There have been reports of a woman in Kolkata suffering from a human coronavirus or HKU1, a species of coronavirus.

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However, HKU1 is generally linked to milder respiratory illnesses and is not of pandemic potential. According to reports, the Kolkata patient is now stable. "There are many kinds of coronaviruses. But unlike Covid-19, which was a novel virus when the outbreak happened, HKU-1 was first identified in 2005 as a rare isolate. So you cannot call it a novel virus. Evidence indicates it is evolving steadily in humans, probably the only known reservoir. Most people get infected with these viruses at some point in their lives and these last for a limited duration. So there is no need to panic over it," says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. "This gen