New clues about the origin of the virus

It has been nearly two years since the start of the pandemic, but the origin of the coronavirus remains a mystery.

It has long been believed that Huanan Sea Market, located in the center of Wuhan in China, plays a major role in the coronavirus outbreak. The market, where wild animals are sold, was where they are The first corona patients were infected.

However, it is still uncertain whether the epidemic has occurred In the market.

– disappointing

WHO-Team i Wuhan

In mid-January, experts from the World Health Organization went to the epicenter Investigating the origin of the virus. Later, the World Health Organization described the trip as valuable – and claimed to have found new evidence that could say something. About the source of the virus.

Opposite the American Radio Channel NPR WHO expert Peter Daszak said Farms in southern China as a likely source of the epidemic, and he claimed to have evidence that the aforementioned farms supplied several stalls with animals in the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan.

It is assumed that the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in a man in China on December 8, 2019.

In an article in Journal Science mentioned by Watchman And New York timesHowever, it is alleged that a female employee at the market on December 11 was «patient canceled». Thus, the first case of COVID-19 occurred several days later than initially thought.

Origin in animals

This information, combined with analyzes of other early cases of corona in the Chinese city, may mean that the virus originated in an animal, according to virologist Michael Worubie, who wrote the article.

Worobey is also one of 15 experts who in mid-May published a column in Science calling for a new assessment of the theory that the virus had leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan.

The theory fell under its wings after that US President Joe Biden ordered the opening of a new investigation in the same month.

In the new article, Worobey argues that research on the origin of the virus provides strong support for an epidemic associated with a live animal in the market, the NTB writes. To take this argument into account, Worobey analyzed cases of infection reported by two hospitals before the alert was issued.

hard to explain

The cases analyzed were largely related to the market in Wuhan. Those who were not directly related there were nonetheless geographically concentrated around it.

“In this city of 11 million, half of the early cases are associated with a place the size of a football field,” Worubi told the New York Times.

– He said it would be very difficult to explain the pattern if the outbreak did not start in the market.

Another criticism of the theory was based on the fact that the first case of coronavirus identified was not market related, NTB wrote. But while the WHO report, which indicated that the man identified as “Patient Zero,” had been sick since December 8, he wasn’t actually sick until December 16, according to Whoopi.

The findings are based on a video interview he found, as well as from a case described in a scientific article and from a hospital journal that matches the affected man.