Chinese Scientists Discover a Novel Coronavirus HKU5-CoV-2: Sharing the Same Pathway of Infection as COVID-19
A team of coronavirus experts from the Wuhan Institute of Virology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has recently discovered a new coronavirus in bats, which they have named HKU5-CoV-2. The research indicates that this virus, like COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), is able to invade cells through the ACE2 receptor. This finding has attracted significant attention in the scientific community, but the researchers emphasize that there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission of this virus.
New virus HKU5-CoV-2 discovered in bats
According to a report by the South China Morning Post on February 21, research teams from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, and the Guangzhou Laboratory recently published their research findings in the international scientific journal Cell. They have discovered a new coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, in bats, making it a new member of the coronavirus family.
Similar infection mechanism to COVID-19
The research report indicates that HKU5-CoV-2 contains a protease that can bind to the ACE2 receptors of humans and other mammals, thereby infecting cells. This mode of infection is the same as that of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). Scientists further simulated the virus invading human intestinal and respiratory models in the laboratory, and the results showed that the virus can efficiently infect ACE2 receptors. Its binding ability is even stronger than the original strain of COVID-19, and its host range is broader.
Will it pose a threat to humans?
Although HKU5-CoV-2 demonstrates a similar infection pathway to COVID-19, the researchers emphasize that the effectiveness of this virus is much lower than that of COVID-19, and it has not been found in humans. In other words, this research is mainly based on laboratory data, and the virus currently only exists in bats and has not been confirmed to have human-to-human transmission risks.
Led by Shi Zhengli, the study attracts attention once again
This research is led by Shi Zhengli, a Chinese coronavirus expert who is known as the “Bat Woman” due to her long-term research on bats and coronaviruses. After the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019, there were concerns that the virus originated from her laboratory. In response, she publicly stated that she also had doubts initially, but it was later confirmed that COVID-19 did not leak from the laboratory.
Continuous monitoring and research are crucial for the future
The discovery of HKU5-CoV-2 once again reminds the scientific community that bats are still the natural host for various coronaviruses. Although there is currently no direct threat to humans from this virus, scientists emphasize that continuous monitoring and research on new viruses are crucial for preventing potential future outbreaks.
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