Chinese scientists have found a new bat coronavirus that carries the risk of animal-to-human transmission and is similar to the one that caused the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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The virus named HKU5-CoV-2, was found to use the same human receptor as SARA-CoV-2, which was responsible for COVID-19, South China Morning Post reported. 

Chinese research team led by virologist Shi Zhengli discovered HKU5-CoV-2. Zhengli is also known as "Batwoman" for her work on coronaviruses, especially at the Wuhan Institute, the centre of the theory suggesting COVID-19 came from a lab leak, which was denied by Zhengli. 

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This comes after a surge in cases of the flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China raised fears of another Covid-style pandemic.

At that time, images of hospitals overcrowded with masked patients were being circulated widely on social media. However, health experts clarified, saying that HMPV is not like COVID, and has been around for many years. 

They added that China and other countries are just experiencing the seasonal increase in HMPV, which is usually seen in winter. 

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What is HKU5-CoV-2?

According to some studies, it originated in bats and jumped to humans through an intermediate animal host. However, there is still no consensus on the origin of the virus. 

Shi Zhengli denied that the institute was to blame for the outbreak. 

The latest discovery of this virus is a new lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus first identified in the Japanese pipistrelle bat in Hong Kong. 

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

Moreover, this research involved scientists from the Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell on Tuesday.

According to the report, HKU5-CoV-2 can bind to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) receptor, the same receptor used by SARS-CoV-2 to infect human cells. 

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"We report the discovery and isolation of a distinct lineage (lineage 2) of HKU5-CoV, which can utilise not only bat ACE2 but also human ACE2 and various mammalian ACE2 orthologs," the scientists said. 

(With inputs from agencies)