New bat virus HKU5-CoV-2 sparks pandemic fears - Is it the next COVID-19?

China has discovered a new coronavirus in bats that can enter the human body like Covid-19. The new virus, HKU5-CoV, hasn't been detected in humans yet but has been identified in a laboratory

In a significant discovery, researchers at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology have identified a new coronavirus in bats that can enter human cells through the same pathway as the virus that causes COVID-19. HKU5-CoV, a newly identified bat virus with similarities to COVID-19, has so far only been detected in laboratory studies and has not yet been found in humans.

 

As reported by news agency Reuters, scientists said in the journal Cell that the "risk of emergence in human populations should not be exaggerated" because the virus, known as HKU5-CoV-2, does not enter human cells as readily as SARS-CoV-2.

 

What is the new Bat Virus or HKU5-CoV-2?

The recently identified bat coronavirus HKU5-CoV-2 is a member of the merbecovirus subgenus, which also contains the virus that causes Middle East respiratory disease (MERS). Scientists discovered that, like SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), it can attach to human ACE2 receptors. This implies that there may be a chance of animal-to-human transmission.

 

HKU5-CoV-2 has a lesser binding affinity to human ACE2 than SARS-CoV-2, according to experts, and it is yet unknown if it can infect people widely. To ascertain whether it presents a significant health risk, more investigation is required.

Is the new bat coronavirus capable of human transmission?

    • Can bind to humans: The virus has the ability to bind to human ACE2 receptors, which are the same receptors that SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) uses to infect human cells.

      

    • Possibility of spillover: Scientists discovered that HKU5-CoV-2 might infect human cells as well as small lung or gut tissues cultured in a lab.

      

    • Intermediary hosts: The virus can transmit through an intermediary animal before reaching humans because it binds to several mammalian species in addition to human ACE2.

      

    • Lower efficiency than COVID-19: Although it can infect human cells, scientists have shown that SARS-CoV-2 is much more effective at doing so.

      

    • Although HKU5-CoV-2 exhibits a greater degree of adaptability to human ACE2 than its previous versions, the research team, headed by Shi Zhengli, a renowned virologist from Wuhan Institute of Virology, noted that it does not, as of now, represent a pandemic threat. Any possible mutations that might make it more contagious still require constant observation. 

HKU5-CoV-2 or new Bat Virus: Symptoms

The symptoms of HKU5-CoV-2 are unknown because there are currently no verified cases in people. However, because it is a member of the same subgenus as COVID-19 and MERS, it may produce similar respiratory symptoms, including:

 

    • Shortness of breath

    • Sore throat

    • Fever

    • Cough

    • Fatigue

    • Body aches.

How can the new bat coronavirus be spread?

There are two ways it can infect people:

 

    • Direct transmission from bats: People may contract the disease if they come into touch with infected bats or their bodily fluids, such as feces, urine, or saliva.

 

    • Through an intermediary host: In a manner akin to that of some previous coronaviruses, the virus may initially infect another animal (such as a mammal) before spreading to humans.

What to stay safe from new bat coronavirus or HKU5-CoV-2?

The Centre for Disease Control emphasises that even if the virus has not been shown to infect people yet, people should always stay up to date on their vaccinations, take preventative measures like wearing masks, washing their hands carefully, and getting tested for any other related risks.