A new bat virus called HKU5-CoV-2 has raised concerns because it might spread from animals to humans, leading some to worry about another pandemic like COVID-19. While researchers in China are sounding alarms, experts in India believe there’s no immediate threat. They’ve advised that the virus should be monitored closely, but for now, there's no need to panic.

The study, published in the Cell journal, shows that a new strain of HKU5-CoV found in bats can bind to human ACE2 receptors, which means it could potentially jump from animals to humans. This raises concerns about its zoonotic risk or the possibility of causing a new outbreak. The research was led by Zheng-Li Shi, a prominent virologist from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. She is well-known for her work in tracing the origins of past viruses, including SARS in 2003, MERS in 2012, and the recent coronavirus outbreak.

The study found a new type of HKU5 coronavirus (HKU5-CoV-2) in bats, but no cases have been reported in humans yet. The virus is capable of using human ACE2 receptors to enter cells, which could make it easier for the virus to infect humans. However, it’s still unclear if the virus will spread to people.

Experts in India say that until now, HKU5-CoV was not thought to infect humans easily because it used a different way to enter cells. But this new strain, HKU5-CoV-2, has been shown to attach to the same receptors that viruses like COVID-19 use to infect human cells, mainly in the lungs and intestines.

Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, an expert from the Indian Medical Association, explained that this virus can bind to ACE-2 receptors not only in humans but also in other animals. This means it could potentially spread between animals and humans. A few years ago, coronaviruses from 

 in Hong Kong were identified as part of the same group as the virus that caused MERS in 2012, but this new virus is different from the one that caused COVID-19.

Dr. Anurag Agrawal from Ashoka University also commented on the study, saying it shows that there are still many viruses in animals that could jump to humans. He appreciated the study but noted that while it’s important, it doesn’t bring any new major risks compared to what we already know.

How risky is the new virus?

Health expert Dr. Sanjeev Bagai compares the HKU5-CoV-2 virus to MERS, noting that so far, there have been no reports of it spreading from bats to humans. The virus has few mutations and a low risk of transmission, making it less infectious and harmful. He believes there’s no immediate cause for concern. 

Dr. KS Uplabdh Gopal from the Observer Research Foundation also reassured that while the virus can bind to human ACE2 receptors, its ability to do so is much weaker than SARS-CoV-2. He emphasized that such studies aim to prevent future outbreaks, not predict them, and that monitoring is important, but there’s no urgent threat.

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