The discovery of a novel coronavirus in Chinese bats that can spread from animals to people has sparked alarm since it resembles the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus, known as HKU5-CoV-2, is a member of the merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
A group of virologists led by Shi Zhengli, often referred to as “Batwoman” for her groundbreaking studies on coronaviruses, especially at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, produced the finding. The ongoing controversy over the origins of the COVID-19 virus has drawn attention to this institute on a global scale. Some have speculated that the virus may have been sparked by a lab leak, a claim China has repeatedly refuted.
HKU5-CoV-2: What Is It?
Researchers have discovered that the novel bat coronavirus HKU5-CoV-2 shares important traits with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. A key similarity between the two viruses is that they can both infect human cells by attaching to ACE2 receptors. NL63, another human coronavirus linked to the common cold, also has this property.
The researchers tested the virus’s interactions with human cells in lab conditions using miniature human organ models. Their results verified that human cell cultures might be infected by HKU5-CoV-2. The possibility of zoonotic spillover, in which a virus spreads from animals to people, makes this discovery concerning.
The researchers’ paper notes that although HKU5-CoV-2 is similar to MERS-CoV, more research is necessary to determine whether it may infect humans. The virus seems to be very good at using human ACE2 receptors, which could mean that people are more likely to get infected.
Could HKU5-CoV-2 Cause a New Pandemic?
Some researchers have questioned if this discovery could trigger another pandemic, given the persistent concern about emerging viral outbreaks. Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Minnesota, has cautioned that worries about an impending pandemic are likely overblown. Human populations’ immunity, particularly from prior exposure to related coronaviruses, may lessen the likelihood of a widespread outbreak, according to Dr. Osterholm.
Furthermore, HKU5-CoV-2 has a lesser affinity for human ACE2 than SARS-CoV-2, according to the research study itself. This implies that even if the virus can infect human cells in a lab setting, it might not be as able to disseminate or adjust to human populations as its ancestor was.
In conclusion, HKU5-CoV-2 is a big problem because it can attach to human ACE2 receptors and is linked to other harmful coronaviruses like MERS-CoV. However, the threat of a new pandemic may not be as close as some news stories say.