WHO experts discard the lab leak theory for Covid-19 origin

With the results out of the investigation initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in China, it has been found that the origin of Covid-19 among the humans is by a probable animal host or frozen wildlife products, iterating that it is ‘highly’ unlikely for it to be originating from a laboratory leak.

A WHO official, Peter Ben Embaraek at a briefing with the reporters on Tuesday in Wuhan, revealed that no further research is required to investigate the theory about the leak. The speculation was given a lot of hold by ex-US President Donald Trump and some others.

The virus can probably be introduced among the animals of the Huanan Wet Market in Wuhan, which had connection with the early cases of Covid-19 in the city, could be by an infected person or a product which was being sold there. Ben Embaraek said, “Among the more interesting products were frozen wildlife animals… Some of these species are known to be susceptible to these kinds of viruses.”

The investigation team conducted the study over tens of thousands of patient sample from Wuhan before the emergence of sick people. Also, there was no validation about outbreaks in China prior to December 2019, revealed the WHO officials.

The members of the WHO mission went to the lab in the last week and inquired Shi Zengli, who was the person doing the collection and analysis of the viruses for over a decade, about the research and the earlier known Covid-19 cases.

Ben Embaraek said, “We embarked on a very detailed and profound search for other cases that may have been missed early on in 2019.. The conclusion was we did not find evidence of large outbreaks that could be related to cases of Covid-19 prior to December 2019 in Wuhan or elsewhere.”

Around 17 Chinese and 17 international experts were a part of the panel who were scouring for any leads to understand the way CoV-2 with the closest connection to the bats from 1,000 miles away has been on the wide transmission in Wuhan prior to the worst contagion that has not happened in 100 years.

Liang Wannian, expert, China’s National Health Commission, said that there was no substantial spread of the Covid-19 virus in the city prior to the 2019 Covid-19 outbreak. Liang said, “This indicates the possibility of the missed reported circulation in other region.” He further emphasized on the virus to be originating from animals, however, “the reservoir host remains to be identified”.

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