Current Affairs - Science - Discussion

The new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, was discovered by researchers in China, specifically at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This virus, which uses the same ACE2 receptor as SARS-CoV-2 to infect human cells, raises concerns about potential zoonotic transmission. Although its binding efficiency to human cells is lower, the virus's presence of a furin cleavage site adds to its potential risk. This discovery highlights the need for ongoing surveillance and research on bat-borne viruses to prevent future outbreaks.