In a development that has reignited global concerns about zoonotic diseases, a team of Chinese researchers has identified a new coronavirus, dubbed HKU5-CoV-2, with the potential to spark a pandemic.

Discovered in bats, this virus has drawn attention due to its similarities to SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The findings, detailed in a recent report by the Daily Mail, underscore the ongoing risks posed by coronaviruses and the need for vigilant surveillance of wildlife reservoirs.

The discovery was led by virologist Shi Zhengli, a prominent scientist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, often referred to as “Batwoman” for her extensive work on bat coronaviruses.

According to the Daily Mail, Shi’s team detected HKU5-CoV-2 in bat populations in China, building on years of research into the origins of coronaviruses.

Shi gained international recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for her efforts to trace SARS-CoV-2’s origins, which remain a subject of debate between zoonotic spillover and lab-leak hypotheses.

The new virus belongs to the merbecovirus group, closely related to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, rather than the sarbecovirus group that includes SARS-CoV-2.

However, its ability to infect human cells has alarmed scientists. Laboratory experiments cited by the Daily Mail revealed that HKU5-CoV-2 can bind to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor—the same entry point used by SARS-CoV-2—allowing it to infiltrate respiratory and intestinal cell cultures effectively.

HKU5-CoV-2’s pandemic potential stems from its capacity to infect human cells in a manner reminiscent of SARS-CoV-2, which spread globally in 2019–2020, infecting millions and claiming numerous lives.

The Economic Times reported on February 21, 2025, that while hundreds of coronaviruses circulate in animals, only a handful—like SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2—have demonstrated the ability to jump to humans and cause significant outbreaks.

The fact that HKU5-CoV-2 shares this trait elevates its risk profile. Unlike MERS, which has infected fewer than 3,000 people since its emergence in 2012 and has no vaccine, HKU5-CoV-2’s discovery in bats—a known reservoir for coronaviruses—raises fears of a potential spillover event.

The Economic Times noted that researchers are still investigating whether this virus could naturally spread to humans, but its lab-demonstrated infectivity is a red flag.

This discovery comes amid heightened scrutiny of China’s role in coronavirus research, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology, where Shi conducts her work, has been at the center of controversy over the origins of SARS-CoV-2.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) and Chinese officials have dismissed mainly the lab-leak theory as “extremely unlikely”, the proximity of this new find to Wuhan has fueled speculation online, as seen in posts on X.

Mainstream sources emphasize that HKU5-CoV-2 is not yet a confirmed threat to humans. The Daily Mail quoted researchers stating that “the potential for HKU5-CoV-2 to spillover to humans remains to be investigated.”

However, its discovery highlights the persistent danger posed by zoonotic pathogens. Bats, pangolins, and other wildlife have long been implicated in transmitting coronaviruses, with SARS-CoV-2 possibly linked to a wet market in Wuhan.

The identification of HKU5-CoV-2 has prompted calls for enhanced global wildlife surveillance and stricter biosafety measures.

The Daily Mail reported that only two MERS cases have been documented in the U.S., both linked to travel from the Middle East in 2014, underscoring how rare—but devastating—such spillovers can be.

Prevention remains the primary defense with no vaccine available for MERS or this new virus.

Experts are urging further study to assess HKU5-CoV-2’s transmissibility and virulence.

The Economic Times highlighted that current COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to offer cross-protection, as HKU5-CoV-2 belongs to a distinct coronavirus lineage.

This immunity gap could leave populations vulnerable if the virus adapts to human hosts.