HKU5-CoV-2: I've played these games before?

Recently, a familiar guest has resurfaced amongst news channels: Another coronavirus has been discovered, scarily again at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. This coronavirus (from bats too) can seemingly enter artificially tissues resembling human cells, just like SARS-CoV-2 which sent the world into a once-in-a-century frenzied lockdown as cases exploded exponentially globally.

So, should we be worried?

A History Lesson

HKU5-CoV-2 is distinctly related to another coronavirus called HKU5-CoV, which was first detected in Asian bats in 2006. 

However, researchers believe that this new coronavirus may be better adapted to entering human cells than HKU5-CoV-1, due to the aforementioned structural similarities to SARS-CoV-2. 

Worryingly, this could indicate that HKU5-CoV-2 may have a broader range of animal hosts and a higher potential for jumping between species. 

What We Know

As of writing, there are currently no reported infections in humans. 

Yes, it is true that the new coronavirus HKU5-CoV-2 can enter cells via the ACE2 receptor protein on cell surfaces, which is the exact mechanism used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that emerged in late 2019. 

Yes, it is also true that this newly identified coronavirus is part of the same family as the virus that causes deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, which has a 35% mortality rate amongst those that contracted it.

Nonetheless, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated publicly that “there is no reason to believe it currently poses a concern to public health.”According to scientists, the newly identified coronavirus doesn’t infect cells as efficiently as the virus that causes Covid-19. Furthermore, current research only showed infection of cells in the lab, and not occurring naturally from animals to humans. Perhaps even more encouragingly, researchers have found that the antibody and antiviral drug therapies developed for Covid-19 could also be effective against this new virus.

This coronavirus is also a lot more closely related to the one that caused MERS, which did not spread as fast as Covid-19, and there’s no indication that this one would be any different. While MERS itself is quite bad, it was deemed the Middle East virus because of its transmission from camels to humans, not humans to humans. MERS never sustained community spread. 

More Common Than We Think

At the root of it, new research such as this shouldn’t be all that surprising.  Such a manner of accessing cells is far more common than we realise.  Many viral infections, after all, are of animal origin, as such scientists routinely conduct research like this to understand what happens in the event that this does spill over and pose a risk. 

If anything, the public should know about the other coronaviruses that are endemic and making people sick right now. Viruses like 229E, NL63, OC43 and HKU1 cause the common cold. The most obvious symptoms are minor respiratory issues, but such infections can also develop into pneumonia or croup. Unlike the new HKU5-Cov-2 virus, these troublemakers visit every winter and often linger around.

Other problems are also more threatening, like the avian flu and its impact on cows and kitties and all sorts of other mammals. In comparison, this new coronavirus that was isolated from bats in China is not really a breakthrough discovery.

End Story

Newly identified viruses in animals, such as HKU5-CoV-2, are a constant. These discoveries serve as a valuable reminder that we must remain alert and keep people informed about potential disease threats without overly-exaggerating that every new virus could lead to a new human pandemic. 

They also highlight the importance of having strong detection and surveillance systems in place, especially at a time of unprecedented globalisation. For example, surveillance of influenza-like illnesses by GP practices could allow countries to respond rapidly to any respiratory epidemic. 

It is also crucial that laboratories practise strong and well-controlled biosecurity, and that people are well-informed about the risks associated with keeping live animal markets and pet shops that sell exotic pets.

Reference List‌

Christensen, J. (2025). Scientists have identified a new coronavirus in bats, but it’s not a public health threat. [online] CNN. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/25/health/newly-named-coronavirus/index.html [Accessed 28 Feb. 2025].

Gavi.org. (2025). A new coronavirus has just been discovered. Should we be worried? [online] Available at: https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/new-coronavirus-has-just-been-discovered-should-we-be-worried.

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. (2025). Expert comment – new bat coronavirus discovery | LSHTM. [online] Available at: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2025/expert-comment-new-bat-coronavirus-discovery.

Sciencemediacentre.org. (2025). expert reaction to new research that found a bat-infecting coronavirus that can enter human cells similarly to COVID-19 | Science Media Centre. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-new-research-that-found-a-bat-infecting-coronavirus-that-can-enter-human-cells-similarly-to-covid-19/ [Accessed 28 Feb. 2025].

Steenhuysen, J. and Lapid, N. (2025). Chinese researchers find bat virus enters human cells via same pathway as COVID. Reuters. [online] 21 Feb. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/chinese-researchers-find-bat-virus-enters-human-cells-via-same-pathway-covid-2025-02-21/.