New Bat Coronavirus Prompts Health and Market Reactions

Chinese researchers, led by virologist Shi Zhengli, have discovered a new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, which can infect human cells using the same ACE2 receptor as the virus causing COVID-19. While the virus poses a potential zoonotic risk, its efficiency in infecting human cells is lower than COVID-19, and it has not yet been detected in humans. The study, published in the journal Cell, highlights the importance of monitoring bat coronaviruses to prevent future pandemics. The discovery has reignited discussions on the origins of COVID-19, with the Wuhan Institute of Virology at the center of the lab-leak theory, although researchers deny any connection. Additionally, the news has influenced financial markets, with vaccine manufacturers seeing stock gains following the announcement.