New Bat Coronavirus Discovery: HKU5-CoV-2 Shows Potential to Infect Humans Through ACE2 Receptor

New Bat Coronavirus Discovery: HKU5-CoV-2 Shows Potential to Infect Humans Through ACE2 Receptor

Researchers in China have found a new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, which can infect humans through the same receptor as SARS-CoV-2. Despite its ability to bind to human cells in labs, its efficiency is notably lower than COVID-19's virus, minimizing pandemic risk. The virus highlights concerns of zoonotic spillover from bats and has prompted calls for ongoing monitoring and research.