Sat Feb 22 00:13:00 UTC 2025: ## New Bat Coronavirus Raises Pandemic Concerns, but Experts Downplay Risk

**February 22, 2025** – A newly discovered bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, has sparked concerns after Chinese researchers revealed it uses the same cell-surface protein (ACE2) to enter human cells as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published in the journal *Cell*, showed the virus can infect human cells in lab settings, particularly those with high ACE2 levels. However, the researchers also noted that HKU5-CoV-2’s ability to infect human cells is significantly lower than that of SARS-CoV-2.

While the findings prompted a stock market surge for COVID vaccine makers like Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm cautioned against exaggerating the pandemic risk. He pointed to existing population immunity to similar SARS viruses as a mitigating factor. The study itself emphasized the virus’s significantly weaker binding affinity to human ACE2 and other limitations hindering its adaptation to humans.

Although the virus shares the furin cleavage site with SARS-CoV-2, aiding cell entry, the researchers identified monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs that could potentially target HKU5-CoV-2. The possibility of future human transmission remains a concern, but experts stress that the current risk should not be overblown.

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