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Tengrinews.kz – Chinese virologists have identified a new coronavirus strain in bats that has the potential to infect humans similarly to COVID-19, citing the South China Morning Post.
According to researchers, the virus belongs to a new lineage of coronaviruses and has been named HKU5-CoV-2. It was discovered in a Japanese pipistrelle, a species of vesper bat, in Hong Kong.
The study was conducted in a Guangzhou laboratory in collaboration with scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The research was led by Shi Zhengli, a renowned virologist often referred to as the 'Bat Woman' in scientific circles due to her extensive studies on coronaviruses.
Experts found that HKU5-CoV-2 can interact with the human ACE2 receptor, which theoretically makes human transmission possible. However, scientists stress that there is no cause for panic, as the risk of the virus spreading among humans is currently considered low. Nevertheless, they recommend further studies to assess its potential threat.
This discovery comes amid continued debates about the origins of COVID-19. In December 2024, a U.S. congressional investigation concluded that COVID-19 likely originated from a laboratory leak in Wuhan, citing unusual biological features of the virus and a single-point source of infection, unlike previous pandemics.
