New Bat Coronavirus Discovered in China: Potential for Human Transmission Investigated

A new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, with potential animal-to-human transmission risks similar to the one that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, has been discovered in China. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the virus was identified by a team of virologists led by Shi Zhengli, known as "Batwoman" for her extensive research on coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The institute has been central to the theory suggesting that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak, a claim that China has consistently denied.

The newly discovered virus, HKU5-CoV-2, belongs to the merbecovirus subgenus, which includes the virus responsible for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Scientists found that it shares similarities with SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in its ability to bind to human ACE2 receptors—the same mechanism that enabled SARS-CoV-2 to infect humans.

Laboratory tests revealed that HKU5-CoV-2 successfully infected human cell cultures using mini-human organ models. Researchers emphasized that bat merbecoviruses, closely related to MERS-CoV, pose a significant risk of spilling over to humans, either through direct transmission or via an intermediate host. However, they noted that further investigations are required to determine the actual risk of human infection.

The study stated that "structural and functional analyses indicate that HKU5-CoV-2 has a better adaptation to human ACE2 than lineage 1 HKU5-CoV." Additionally, the research demonstrated that authentic HKU5-CoV-2 infected human ACE2-expressing cell lines, as well as human respiratory and enteric organoids. The scientists concluded that this newly identified lineage of HKU5 coronaviruses in bats is capable of efficiently using human ACE2 receptors, highlighting its potential zoonotic risk.

Despite concerns about another pandemic, infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm from the University of Minnesota cautioned against overreacting to the study. He pointed out that the global population now has significant immunity to SARS-related viruses compared to 2019, which may lower the risk of another pandemic. The study itself noted that HKU5-CoV-2 has a significantly lower binding affinity to human ACE2 than SARS-CoV-2, along with other suboptimal factors for human adaptation. As a result, researchers concluded that the risk of widespread human infection should not be overstated.