A new coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, has been discovered in bats by researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, sparking concerns of a potential spillover to humans. The virus closely resembles both SARS-CoV-2, which caused Covid-19, and MERS, a deadlier coronavirus with a high fatality rate.
Virologist Shi Zhengli, known as “Batwoman,” led the study, published in Cell, warning that HKU5-CoV-2 can infiltrate human cells and poses a high zoonotic risk. The virus belongs to the merbecovirus family, which has been detected in minks and pangolins, suggesting possible cross-species transmission.
While its potential to infect humans remains uncertain, the discovery raises fears of another pandemic, especially given ongoing debates about Covid-19’s origins.