Wuhan Institute Discovers New Coronavirus in Bats: HKU5-CoV-2

Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, the lab previously accused of leaking Covid-19, have identified a new coronavirus in bats that shares significant similarities with the strain responsible for the 2020 pandemic. A recent study, published in Cell, reports that this newly discovered virus, named HKU5-CoV-2, has the potential for animal-to-human transmission, although no human infections have been recorded so far.

Led by renowned virologist Dr. Shi Zhengli, the study found that the bat virus is capable of binding to proteins found in humans and other mammals, similar to how SARS-CoV-2—the virus behind the Covid-19 pandemic—infects human cells. However, researchers have emphasized that its potential to spread to humans “remains to be investigated.” HKU5-CoV-2 belongs to the same family of coronaviruses as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which can spread from camels to humans through direct contact. MERS outbreaks have mostly occurred in countries around the Arabian Peninsula, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Wuhan Institute of Virology has been at the heart of global controversy due to theories suggesting that Covid-19 may have leaked from its lab—an allegation that China has consistently denied. The first recorded case of Covid-19 emerged in Wuhan in November 2019, sparking a worldwide crisis that claimed millions of lives. Officially, over 7 million deaths have been recorded, though estimates suggest the toll could be as high as 20 million due to unreported cases. The pandemic devastated healthcare systems and caused long-lasting economic and health effects worldwide.

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