Chinese virologists have identified a new coronavirus in bats that can infect humans in a manner similar to COVID-19. This was reported by South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing research conducted by Chinese scientists.
According to the report, the newly discovered virus, named Pipistrellus bat coronavirus HKU5, was found in Hong Kong in a Japanese pipistrelle—a species of vesper bat that includes around 40 different types.
The research was conducted in a Guangzhou laboratory in collaboration with experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The project was led by renowned Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, who is often referred to as the “Bat Woman” in scientific circles due to her extensive research on coronaviruses in Wuhan.
According to the study, HKU5-CoV can interact not only with the ACE2 membrane protein in bats but also with the human ACE2 protein and its counterparts in other mammals. Scientists confirmed that the virus extracted from bat samples is capable of infecting human cells.
However, experts urge the public not to panic: while HKU5-CoV-2 (a variant of the virus) has the potential for cross-species transmission, there is currently no evidence that it poses an immediate threat to humans. Scientists emphasize that further research is necessary to assess the potential risks.
In September 2024, an international team of researchers from the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and other countries published a study confirming that the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in Wuhan originated at the Huanan seafood market. In the fall of 2019, illegal sales of wild animals, including raccoon dogs, civets, bamboo rats, and badgers, were reported there.
