In a shocking turn of events, scientists have revealed that Covid-19 likely originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, rather than from a zoonotic event as previously believed. The lab leak theory, once dismissed as a fringe conspiracy, has gained credibility after a risk analysis was conducted by a group of researchers.
Most studies initially focused on the theory that the virus spilled over from animals to humans, leading researchers to investigate the wet market in Wuhan where the first cases were reported. However, new research published in the journal Risk Analysis suggests that an unnatural origin, specifically from a laboratory, is more likely.
The study utilized the Grunow-Finke assessment, an established risk analysis tool, to create a likelihood scale for possible pandemic causes. It examined various criteria, including the proximity of the first reported cases to both the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and the Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention (WHCDC). The assessment revealed that the likelihood of Covid-19 having an unnatural origin scored high.
One of the key findings of the study is that the WIV had been conducting experiments involving SARS-like coronaviruses in bats since 2010. Interestingly, one of the bat viruses being studied at the WIV shares a 96.1% genetic similarity with SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19. This information was only revealed after the pandemic began, raising suspicions about the possible involvement of the laboratory.
Moreover, the WHCDC was also studying coronaviruses and had recently moved its location to just 280 meters away from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, where some of the initial cases were linked to. This move potentially increased the chance of a laboratory accident.
The researchers emphasized that several of the first infected individuals had not visited the wet market, suggesting that it may have been a source of amplification rather than the origin of the virus. Additionally, evidence of an intermediary animal host, which is necessary for the zoonotic origin theory, is lacking.
The study also highlighted some unusual actions by scientists working at the WIV, further pointing to a lab leak origin. In September 2019, control of the WIV lab was handed over from civilian to military command and control, and a contractor was hired to renovate the ventilation system within the facility. Simultaneously, the WIV removed a large virus database containing approximately 20,000 specimens from bats and mice, which had previously been accessible to the public. It is unclear whether the removed database included sequences relevant to the origin of SARS-CoV-2.
Furthermore, instances of poor biosecurity procedures at the WIV were reported. Some scientists did not follow proper protective equipment protocols while handling bats and were bitten by them. Additionally, in early November 2019, some staff members from the institute were hospitalized with Covid-19-like symptoms.
While the Grunow-Finke assessment does not provide definitive proof that Covid-19 leaked from one of the two labs in Wuhan, it presents compelling risk factors that warrant further investigation. Laboratory accidents are not uncommon, and if a highly contagious pathogen is accidentally released, it can lead to an epidemic in the community.
The study's findings align with recent statements from a top World Health Organization (WHO) official, who admitted that the agency should not have dismissed the lab leak theory in favor of Beijing's frozen food origin story. The WHO's decision last year to downplay the possibility of a lab leak was deemed unwise by Professor Marion Koopmans, a renowned virologist.
The revelation that Covid-19 likely originated from a laboratory in Wuhan has raised significant concerns and calls for a comprehensive investigation into the true origins of the global pandemic.
