New Bat-Derived Coronavirus with Potential to Infect Humans

A group of Chinese scientists, led by the renowned

Shi Zhengli, has recently discovered a new coronavirus in bats. The virus, named HKU5-CoV-2, belongs to the HKU5 branch and is part of the Merbecovirus group—the same group that includes the virus responsible for Middle East (MERS).

The study, published in the journal Cell, demonstrated that HKU5-CoV-2 is capable of

the ACE2 . This binding occurs not only in bats but also in humans and various other mammals. In laboratory experiments, the virus was able to human cells as well as that the respiratory and . Although HKU5-CoV-2 shows a higher adaptability to the human ACE2 receptor compared to previous , its overall infection efficiency remains much lower than that of SARS-CoV-2.

Researchers expressed concern that the virus’s ability to interact with multiple species might increase the risk of transmission. However, they emphasized that the current likelihood of an outbreak is low. This discovery underlines the importance of continuous monitoring of animal viruses to prevent potential future

. It also past debates regarding the origin of Covid-19, with Shi Zhengli .