The discovery of a new bat coronavirus in China has sparked concerns of another pandemic. The virus, HKU5-CoV-2, is similar to to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

HKU5-CoV-2 was found by a Chinese research team led by virologist Shi Zhengli, known as "Batwoman" for her work on coronaviruses, especially at the Wuhan Institute, which has been at the center of the theory suggesting COVID-19 came from a lab leak—something Shi has denied.