Researchers at the notorious Wuhan Institute of Virology in China have discovered a new bat virus they claim can infect humans.
In a study published in the scientific journal Cell, the researchers describe how the new virus, which they’ve called HKU5-CoV-2, is able to enter human cells via the ACE2 receptor. This is the same pathway by which COVID-19, which sparked a global pandemic in 2020, enters human cells.
The researchers isolated the virus by taking thousands of anal swabs from pipistrel bats across five difference Chinese provinces.
They note that the virus has the potential to jump across mammal species, and that it is similar to sequences found in farmed mink.
However, the virus does not enter human cells as readily as COVID-19, which means the risk of its “emergence in human populations should not be exaggerated.” The researchers identify a number of different antibodies and antiviral drugs that target the virus.
An expert on virology who spoke to The Epoch Times told the newspaper that although the virus “posts minimal threat to humans” in the wild, gain-of-function research could make it more transmissible and deadly.
“This virus could create a highly extremely threatening new bioweapons agent and pandemic pathogen,” the expert cautioned.
The expert also warned that the new research is being led by Shi Zhengli, who was responsible for research on bat coronaviruses that is plausibly linked to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January, the CIA added its support to the claim that COVID-19 was leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, making it the third US executive agency to back the theory.
John Ratcliffe, the new director of the CIA, has said the best way for the world to prevent the next pandemic is to hold Beijing accountable.
“We’ve all survived… the worst pandemic of our lifetime,” Ratcliffe said.
“But it would be a mistake for all of us to assume that it will be the last one.”