New bat coronavirus could infect humans via same route as Covid-19: China

A Chinese team of virologists have found a new bat coronavirus that carries the risk of animaltohuman transmission because it uses the same human receptor as the virus that causes Covid19 a media report saidThe study was led by Shi Zhengli Chinese virologist from the controversial Wuhan Institute of Virology WIV where the COVID19 was alleged to have emanated fromShi who is known as the Bat Woman for her research on viruses from the Bats as well as the Chinese government deny that the virus was leaked from the Wuhan labThe latest discovery is a new lineage of the HKU5 coronavirus first identified in the Japanese pipistrelle bat in Hong KongThe new virus comes from the merbecovirus subgenus which also includes the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome Mers the Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reportedThe virus is able to bind to the human angiotensin converting enzyme ACE2 the same receptor used by the SarsCoV2 virus which causes Covid19 to infect cellsWe report the discovery and isolation of a distinct lineage lineage 2 of HKU5CoV which can utilise not only bat ACE2 but also human ACE2 and various mammalian ACE2 orthologs genes found in different species with a common origin the team of virologists headed by Shi wrote in a paper published in the peerreviewed journal Cell on Tuesday according to the Post reportThe researchers found that when the virus was isolated from bat samples it could infect human cells as well as artificially grown masses of cell or tissue that resembled miniaturised respiratory or intestinal organsEarlier this month China said its biolab in Wuhan which faced allegations leaking the COVD19 causing the global pandemic has never engaged in gainoffunction studies on coronavirus amid allegations that USAID has funded the study of the infectious diseaseChina has also made it clear more than once that the Wuhan Institute of Virology has never engaged in gainoffunction studies of coronavirus Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a media briefing here responding to allegations in US that the USAID taxpayers money was used to fund gainoffunction studies at the Chinese biolabGainoffunction research is medical research that genetically alters an organism in a way that may enhance the biological functions of gene productsNever has it designed made or leaked COVID19 On the originstracing of the virus China firmly opposes all forms of political manipulation Guo saidAccording to recent American media reports the US Agency for International Development USAID used taxpayers money to fund gainoffunction studies at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology which may have caused the COVID19 pandemic leading to the deaths of millions around the worldTrump has shut down the USAID work that was not aligned with American strategic interests and wastes moneyThe Wuhan biolab was constantly under scanner especially during the previous Trump presidencyGuo said at a media briefing on February 12 here that It is extremely unlikely that the COVID19 pandemic was caused by a lab leak this is the authoritative conclusion reached by the experts of the WHOChina joint mission based on science following their field trips to the lab in Wuhan and indepth communication with researchersThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever