New Bat Coronavirus Discovered in China Shows Potential for Human Infection

A team of Chinese researchers has identified a new bat coronavirus that has the potential to infect humans by using the same receptor as the virus responsible for COVID-19. The study, led by renowned virologist Shi Zhengli at the Guangzhou Laboratory, involved scientists from the Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Shi, often referred to as “batwoman” due to her extensive research on bat coronaviruses, is known for her work at the Wuhan Institute, which has been central to debates over the origins of COVID-19. While the exact origin of the virus remains unconfirmed, some studies suggest it originated in bats and spread to humans through an intermediate animal host. Shi has denied allegations that the Wuhan Institute was responsible for the outbreak.

The newly discovered virus belongs to a new lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus, first identified in the Japanese pipistrelle bat in Hong Kong. It falls within the merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the virus responsible for Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Notably, the virus can bind to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the same receptor used by SARS-CoV-2 to infect cells.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell, details how the virus was isolated from bat samples and found to infect human cells as well as organoid models—miniaturized versions of respiratory or intestinal tissues. The researchers highlighted that bat merbecoviruses present a significant risk of transmission to humans, either directly or through intermediate hosts.

The study also revealed that the HKU5-CoV-2 virus can bind not only to human ACE2 receptors but also to those of multiple other species, increasing the likelihood of transmission through various animal hosts. The merbecovirus subgenus, which includes the MERS coronavirus, has been recognized by the World Health Organization as an emerging pathogen of concern for pandemic preparedness.

Earlier this month, another study published in Cell by researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle and Wuhan University suggested that while the HKU5 strain can bind to bat and other mammalian ACE2 receptors, it does not exhibit strong binding to human receptors.