CoV-2, discovered in China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, raises concerns due to its potential to infect human cells like SARS-CoV-2. However, experts say it poses no major public health threat as its ability to spread among humans is significantly weaker.

CoV-2, which can enter human cells using the same gateway as the highly contagious SAR-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. However, researchers say the newly discovered germ is much less capable of rapi

Scientists also discovered that HKU5-CoV-2 might infect human cells as well as small lung or gut tissues cultured in a lab.

Researchers have discovered a virus that could enter human cells in a similar way to COVID-19. But they caution it's much more poorly adapted to humans.

Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China said they discovered a new coronavirus in bats that enters cells using the same gateway as the virus that causes Covid-19.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology was not involved in the creation or leakage of the COVID-19 virus, a spokesperson of China's foreign ministry said during a regular press conference on Wednesday.

Researchers have discovered a new coronavirus in Chinese bats. HKU5-CoV-2 is a coronavirus belonging to the merbecovirusgroup, which also includes the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus. RELATED: Another US agency assesses COVID-19 origin likely a Chinese 'lab leak': report

Chinese scientists have discovered a new coronavirus in bats called HKU5-CoV-2. It shares similarities with SARS-CoV-2 and can infect human cells. Researchers are investigating its potential to spill over to humans.