New Delhi: Scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology have discovered a new coronavirus in bats, named HKU5-CoV-2, which has the potential for animal-to-human transmission. The virus enters human cells using the same ACE2 receptor as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19, raising concerns about its potential risks.
The discovery has been published in the journal Cell. It involved researchers from the Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The study was led by renowned virologist Shi Zhengli, often referred to as ‘Batwoman’ due to her extensive research on bat coronaviruses.
Potential for transmission
While the virus has not yet been detected in humans, lab tests have confirmed that it can bind to human ACE2 receptors and infect artificially-grown lung and intestinal tissues. Researchers added that HKU5-CoV-2 is related to the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus, which has infected around 2,600 people globally since 2012, with a fatality rate of 36%. The vast majority of the cases were in Saudi Arabia, according to WHO.
The study points that the virus could spread either through direct contact with bat secretions such as saliva, urine, or faeces or via intermediate hosts before infecting humans. However, the researchers stressed that the virus’s ability to efficiently bind to human ACE2 is lower than SARS-CoV-2, reducing the immediate risk of outbreaks.
Meanwhile, the discovery comes amid a rise in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, sparking fears of another pandemic. However, health experts clarified that HMPV has been around for years and does not pose a Covid-like threat.
Researchers urge caution, not panic
Despite its potential for cross-species transmission, researchers have urged against exaggerating the threat of HKU5-CoV-2. They stated that while the virus can bind to human ACE2 receptors, it does so at a much lower efficiency than SARS-CoV-2. “The risk of [HKU5-CoV-2] emergence in human populations should not be exaggerated,” the study concluded.
