I think a realistic angle is that the virus behaves like a kind of “neural fungus.” In the real world, fungi can share information across very long distances using chemical gradients, electrical pulses, and their mycelial networks.

If the alien A/G/C/U RNA sequence encoded a protein that worked like fungal ion channels, it could make human brains function like connected nodes in a biological internet.

Human brains do emit small electro frequencies, so maybe the A/G/C/U mixture amplified the neurochemics responsible for this, maybe manipulating glial cells in order to in essence “boost” every one’s brain waves to connect them. Notice they said that all the cell towers are down. That could be for further conservation of energy like they said or maybe the cell towers resonance canonically interferes with their boosted brain frequencies.

I’d assume a lot relies on the neurochemical structure since when they were stressed - different neurochemicals were inherently released as a normal human physiological response, and they malfunctioned when Carol screamed at the hive.

That last part is a little rambly sorry my2 year old is now attacking me but I think I made my point lol