China’s New Bat Coronavirus HKU5-CoV-2: Could It Infect Humans Like COVID-19?
Chinese scientists announced the discovery of a new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, which has the potential to infect humans. Found in bats, this virus uses the same entry point—the ACE2 receptor—as SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published in the journal Cell, was led by Shi Zhengli, a renowned virologist nicknamed “Batwoman” for her decades-long work on bat viruses. While the findings have sparked global interest, experts urge caution, saying the risk to humans may not be as high as feared.
HKU5-CoV-2 is a new strain linked to the HKU5 coronavirus, first identified in Japanese pipistrelle bats in Hong Kong. It belongs to the merbecovirus family, which includes the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Researchers from Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology teamed up to study this virus. Their lab tests showed it can infect human cells, including those in the lungs and intestines, raising questions about its ability to jump from animals to people.
Like SARS-CoV-2, HKU5-CoV-2 has a special feature called a furin cleavage site, which helps it latch onto the ACE2 receptor on human cells. This is the same doorway COVID-19 used to spread worldwide. In experiments, the virus successfully infected human cell models with high ACE2 levels. However, the study notes it doesn’t bind as strongly as SARS-CoV-2, suggesting it may not spread as easily among humans.
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Shi Zhengli, the lead scientist, is no stranger to controversy. Her work at the Wuhan Institute of Virology has been under scrutiny since COVID-19 began, with some claiming it leaked from her lab—a theory she strongly denies. Despite this, Shi’s team stresses that HKU5-CoV-2’s risk to humans needs more study. They say animal-to-human transmission, or “spillover,” is possible but not yet confirmed.
The discovery comes five years after COVID-19 first emerged in China in December 2019, eventually killing over 7 million people globally by February 2025. Understandably, news of HKU5-CoV-2 has raised alarms. But experts like Michael Osterholm from the University of Minnesota call the reaction “overblown.” He points out that human immunity to similar viruses has grown since 2019, which could lower the pandemic risk. The study itself says HKU5-CoV-2 is less adapted to humans than SARS-CoV-2, calming fears for now.
The researchers identified antibodies and antiviral drugs that could target HKU5-CoV-2, offering hope for future prevention. Earlier this month, a separate study from the University of Washington and Wuhan University found the HKU5 strain binds poorly to human ACE2 compared to other mammals, adding to the mixed picture. For now, scientists agree more research is needed to understand if this virus could spark an outbreak.
Bats are known to carry hundreds of coronaviruses, but only a few—like SARS, MERS, and COVID-19—have jumped to humans. HKU5-CoV-2 joins this watchlist, reminding us of nature’s role in disease. The World Health Organization has long flagged merbecoviruses as potential pandemic threats, urging global vigilance.
