Chinese scientists have discovered a new coronavirus in bats called HKU5-CoV-2. It shares similarities with SARS-CoV-2 and can infect human cells. Researchers are investigating its potential to spill over to humans.

The virus does not enter human cells as readily as SARS-CoV-2 does, the Chinese researchers reported in the journal Cell, noting some of its limitations

Researchers have discovered a virus that could enter human cells in a similar way to COVID-19. But they caution it's much more poorly adapted to humans.

Covid-19 like new bat virus HKU5-CoV hasn’t been detected in humans yet. It has only been identified in a laboratory.

The new virus comes from the merbecovirus subgenus, which also includes the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers)

Experts note that HKU5-CoV-2 has a lower binding affinity to human ACE2 than SARS-CoV-2, and its ability to infect humans on a large scale remains uncertain. More research is needed to determine if it poses a serious health threat.

HKU5-CoV-2 — can spread to humans like Covid-19, said experts on Saturday, raising fresh health concerns. HKU5-CoV-2 was identified by a team of Chinese virologists led by Shi Zhengli, a renowned scientist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.

The extensive research on coronavirus led to the discovery of HKU5-CoV-2, which can be transmitted to humans since it has the same human receptor. The virus was discovered by a team of virologists led by Shi Zhengil, Wuhan Institute of Virology, referred to as 'Batwoman'.

Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology have detected a new coronavirus in bats that is capable of entering human cells using the exact same mechanism as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.