Chinese researchers led by virologist Shi Zhengli have discovered a new coronavirus that is circulating in bats, posing a risk of transmission from animals to humans.
According to foreign media, the virus, identified as HKU5-CoV-2, belongs to the Mersovirus subfamily, which includes the MERS virus.
The newly isolated virus can bind to the ACE2 receptor on human cells, which is the same pathway used by the Covid-19 virus, according to Reuters news agency.