SCMP reported that a group of Chinese researchers have just discovered a new type of corona virus in bates that can be transmitted to humans, because it uses the same ACE2 receiver that the COVID-19 virus uses to In fact, it can enter cells.
The study was led by leading virologist Thach Chinh Le - also known as "The Bees" for his in-depth research on the corona virus on bees - in collaboration with scientists from the Guangzhou Labor Department, the Guangzhou Institute of Sciences, Vu Han University and the Vu Han virus Institute.
This new virus belongs to the second branch of the HKU5 strain, first found in Japanese butterfly in Hong Kong (China). It belongs to the Merbecovirus subclass, the same family as the virus that causes Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
The worrying thing is that this virus can bind to human ACE2 receptors, similar to SARS-CoV-2, meaning it has the potential to infect humans.
In a study published in the scientific journal Cell, Ms. Thach Chinh Le's team isolated this virus from a bat model and successfully tested its ability to invade human cells. The virus can be infected not only into plant cells but also into artificial tissues that simulate respiratory and intestinal organs.
Researchers warn: Merecovirus viruses from bat are at high risk of spreading to humans, through direct contact or through intermediaries.
HKU5-CoV-2 can not only bind to humans' ACE2 but can also belong to many other animals, which increases the risk of the presence of an intermediate object that helps the virus transmit to humans.
However, the team also emphasized that the human adaptation of HKU5-CoV-2 is still significantly lower than the virus that causes COVID-19. They recommend continuing to monitor but should not inflate the risk of a new pandemic.
