A Chinese research team has identified a new bat coronavirus that presents a potential risk of animal-to-human transmission, as it binds to the same human receptor utilized by the COVID-19 virus, according to a report by the South China Morning Post on Thursday.
The study, carried out by the Guangzhou Laboratory in collaboration with the Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, was published in the scientific journal Cell on Tuesday.
This newly discovered virus, designated HKU5-CoV-2, represents a new lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus found in Japanese pipistrelle bats in Hong Kong. Notably, it uses the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) receptor, the same receptor that SARS-CoV-2 and the virus responsible for SARS utilize.
Lab experiments have indicated that HKU5-CoV-2 is capable of infecting human cells as well as artificially cultivated lung and intestinal tissues. It demonstrates the ability to bind to ACE2 receptors in humans, bats, and various other animals, which raises concerns about potential cross-species transmission.
Despite HKU5-CoV-2 exhibiting stronger binding capabilities and a broader range of hosts compared to its original strain, researchers assert that it is significantly less virulent than SARS-CoV-2, with a low risk of widespread human transmission.
The study’s lead scientist, Shi Zhengli, is known for her research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which has faced scrutiny over allegations that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak—claims that she has consistently denied.
Chinese authorities have previously dismissed the “CIA-backed theory” suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted from an accidental lab leak in Wuhan rather than from natural transmission in a wet market.
The initial cases of COVID-19 were reported in Wuhan, central China, in December 2019, leading to a global outbreak that resulted in widespread lockdowns and nearly seven million deaths.
