A new coronavirus strain, HKU5-CoV-2, has been found in bats in China, sparking concerns that it might infect humans and lead to another global health pandemic.
The virus resembles both SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, and MERS, a more lethal strain of coronavirus. The finding was made by researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the same laboratory under the spotlight over the COVID-19 lab-leak hypothesis. The research, conducted by virologist Shi Zhengli, famously referred to as “Batswoman” for conducting extensive studies of bat viruses, was published in a leading science journal, Cell.
HKU5-CoV-2 is part of the merbecovirus family, which also includes MERS and other bat-transmitted coronaviruses.
Although similar viruses were found in bats since 2006, this specific strain seems to have a greater capacity for cross-species transmission, or it may jump from animals to humans. The experiments conducted by the research team showed that the virus can penetrate human cells in the same manner as SARS-CoV-2, which raised fears that it could be transmitted under certain conditions. The researchers cautioned that HKU5-CoV-2 has a “high risk of spillover to humans”, either directly from bats or by an intermediate host—just like COVID-19 is thought to have started.
Comparing HKU5-CoV-2 to Previous Deadly
Coronaviruses The COVID-19 outbreak, which broke out at the end of 2019, resulted in millions of fatalities and disrupted economies globally.
It only targeted the respiratory system to some extent, yet MERS, a related coronavirus, is even more deadly with a mortality rate of up to 30%.
The close relationship of HKU5-CoV-2 with COVID-19 as well as MERS is alarming. First, the virus was able to bind to human cells, as SARS-CoV-2 did prior to its pandemic outbreak. This implies that given the right circumstances, HKU5-CoV-2 could leap to humans and cause outbreaks. Second, researchers mentioned that HKU5-CoV-2 and related viruses have been found not just in bats but also in minks and pangolins.
This implies that these viruses are known to regularly switch between species, making them more likely to transmit to humans at some point in the future. Finally, bats have been shown to bear a large variety of coronaviruses.
They act as natural reservoirs for these viruses, carrying and transmitting them without becoming symptomatic. The Wuhan Institute of Virology study highlighted that HKU5-CoV-2 belongs to a lineage of zoonotic potential bat viruses—that is, they have the potential to spill over into humans.
How Hazardous is HKU5-CoV-2?
To comprehend the danger posed by HKU5-CoV-2, it’s crucial to compare it with SARS, MERS, and COVID-19.
SARS-CoV, which broke out in 2002, spread from civet cats to humans and had a 9.6% fatality rate.
It was first discovered in China and spread to more than 20 countries prior to being contained.
MERS, which was first seen in 2012, is still more deadly, with a 30% mortality rate and occurs primarily in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.
The COVID-19 pandemic, due to SARS-CoV-2, is thought to have started from bats or an intermediate host, had a 1-3% mortality rate, and infected more than 200 countries across the globe. HKU5-CoV-2, the recently identified virus, was isolated from bats in China and has indicated human infection potential, but whether or not it is capable of spreading is unclear.
Scientists warn that although HKU5-CoV-2 possesses features that might make it a threat, more research is required to know if it would be able to cause another pandemic. Experts point out the need to closely monitor the virus to evaluate its potential for human transmission and to establish preventive strategies before another global health crisis arises.
