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Monday, March 29, 2021

WHO report says coronavirus jumped from bats via ‘missing link’

FMT:

WHO report says coronavirus jumped from bats via ‘missing link’


Members of the WHO team are seen wearing protective gear during a field visit to Wuhan last month. (AP pic)

GENEVA: An international expert mission to Wuhan concluded in a report seen today that Covid-19 likely first passed to humans from a bat through an intermediary animal, with investigators all but ruling out a laboratory leak.

The intermediate host hypothesis was deemed “likely to very likely”, while the theory that the virus escaped from a lab was seen as “extremely unlikely”, according to a copy of the long-awaited final report obtained by AFP before its official release.

The report comes as dramatic infection spikes in Europe have forced a tightening of unpopular restrictions across the continent, and amid warnings that the US could suffer a similar surge if curbs are eased too quickly.

In sharp contrast, people in England were set for what newspapers dubbed “Happy Monday”, with stay-at-home orders relaxed as rapid vaccinations appeared to drive down infection rates there.

As countries rush to vaccinate and stem the spread of Covid-19, the mystery at the very heart of the pandemic – how the virus that causes the disease first jumped to humans – remains unsolved.

The report from the international mission to Wuhan has therefore been keenly anticipated ever since the expert team left China more than a month ago.

Cold trail?

Delays in the publication of the findings, drafted in collaboration with the team’s Chinese counterparts, had been blamed on coordination and translation issues, even as a diplomatic tug-of-war raged in the background over the report’s contents.

The repeated delays sparked renewed criticism of the UN health agency’s slow actions in getting the team to Wuhan in the first place.

The experts tasked with probing Covid-19’s origins only arrived there in January, more than a year after the first cases surfaced in the Chinese city in December 2019, sparking fears the trail had gone cold.

In the 15 months since the coronavirus emerged, the pandemic has engulfed the planet, killing nearly 2.8 million people and shredding the global economy.

During a lengthy press conference in Wuhan on Feb 9 at the end of the mission, the experts and their Chinese counterparts made clear that they could not yet draw any firm conclusions.

But they said they had worked to rank a number of hypotheses according to how likely they were.

‘Missing link’

Experts believe that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the Covid-19 disease originally came from bats.

One theory examined was that the virus jumped directly from bats to humans.

The final report determined that this scenario was “possible to likely”.

A more likely scenario, the report found, was that the virus had first jumped from bats to another animal, which in turn infected humans.

“Although the closest related viruses have been found in bats, the evolutionary distance between these bat viruses and SARS-CoV-2 is estimated to be several decades, suggesting a missing link,” the report said.

“The scenario including introduction through an intermediary host was considered to be likely to very likely,” it said, although it did not conclude which animal may have first allowed the virus to jump to humans.

The report meanwhile did not rule out transmission through frozen food – Beijing’s favoured theory – since the virus appears to be able survive at freezing temperatures, saying that “introduction via cold or food chain products is considered possible”.

‘Extremely unlikely’

Finally, the report examined the idea of a lab leak from, for instance, the Wuhan Institute of Virology – a theory promoted by former US president Donald Trump’s administration.

It pointed to the fact that there was no record of any virus resembling SARS-CoV-2 in any laboratory before December 2019, and stressed high safety levels at the labs in Wuhan.

“A laboratory origin of the pandemic was considered to be extremely unlikely,” the report said.

Already during the Wuhan press conference, the experts had said the lab leak theory was considered the least likely.

But back in Geneva, World Health Organization (WHO) boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had then insisted following the mission that all hypotheses remained on the table, and the organisation has urged patience as work continues to get to the bottom of the Covid origin’s mystery.

The experts also concluded their report with a call for “a continued scientific and collaborative approach to be taken towards tracing the origins of Covid-19”.

Determining the source of the pandemic is deemed vital to better protecting against future outbreaks.

18 comments:

  1. Out of the 127 Million Covid-19 cases worldwide so far, nobody has shown any evidence of transmission via frozen food.

    There is ZERO SOP from ANY authorities citing preventative steps on frozen food.

    That story of frozen food origins is just Batshit Kerbau to divert attention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wakakakaka…

      Talking about katakshit kerbau, u r definitely showing one!

      "There is ZERO SOP from ANY authorities citing preventative steps on frozen food."

      Then what did the Yankee do to that meat processing plant in Tennessee? Ditto Danish frozen fish giant Espersen was forced to temporarily close its plant in Hasle? Etc etc…

      There r many such reports about SARS-CoV-2 presented in frozen food packaging all over the world. Maybe those news didn't been filtered through to yr fart filled well.

      Delete
    2. Kerbau lah
      The plants in the US and Denmark were temporarily shut down because significant number employees were found to have Covid-19 , due to the working condition in the plant.

      No different in principle with Malaysia Top Glove and Supermax being ordered shut down when many employees were found infected.

      No scientific bodies have been able to generate a fact-based infection mechanism from frozen food.
      Primary infection for Covid-19 - Aerosol or droplet infection from infected person
      Secondary mechanism - Hand to face/mouth/nose from touching normal room temperature contaminated surface

      Frozen food ???

      https://www.newscientist.com/article/2267598-did-the-coronavirus-really-come-from-frozen-food-as-the-who-suggests/

      "it’s extremely, extremely unlikely the virus would have spread through that type of route,” says Lawrence Young at the University of Warwick, UK , Quote Unquote

      I trust this write up far more than the Batshit being served by Kerbau spinners and their Fanboys.

      Delete
    3. Wakakakakaka…

      Know-nothing parading his 死鸡撑饭盖 mentality!

      "…ignificant number employees were found to have Covid-19 , due to the working condition in the plant"

      Mfer, these workers gotten hit by SARS-CoV-2 from where again?

      Food/grocery delivery is safe if the provider follows good personal and food hygiene, practices. - WHO

      Are Frozen Foods A Risk For Covid-19 Infection? Possibly. - Forbes

      SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus which thrive on winter-related host factor. Cold ambient surrounding is drying of the nasal passage due to low humidity, and this can increase susceptibility to infection by damaging the nasal mucosa, making it easier for the virus to invade the body.

      Etc etc….

      BTW don't just c&p like to that blurred meet playing Lego sets.

      NewScientist isn't Nature or Science peer-reviewed magazines!

      Delete
  2. who shd be more specific who the culprit is, bat from california or yunnan. n everyone know the link is wuhan zombie that spread the virus to entire world, no such thing as missing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yaloh, SARS-CoV-2 spreading all over the world after Formosa katak tried bat meat at North Sulawesi!

      Coronavirus have a natural host in bat - all bat spices anywhere in the world.

      That's the only reason why the medical experts cannot locate the origin of SAR-CoV-2, after it mutated from a intermediate host.

      The most likely intermediate host is the Formosa toads who like to feed on batshit!

      Delete
  3. The WHO team was in the same situation as H&M in CCP-land - deviate from CCP approved script, and you will get a Black Eye.

    So WHO chose to sign and dance with the CCP.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you know? wakakaka, your prejudice shining through your kerbau

      Delete
    2. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-china-idUSKBN2AD090

      This from an Australian member of the team , of course you would dismiss it.

      Delete
    3. All he said was: The team had requested raw patient data on 174 cases that China had identified from the early phase of the outbreak in the city of Wuhan in December 2019, as well as other cases, but were only provided with a summary

      "... were only provided with a summary" is miles different from your biased insinuation

      You need to cease your endless fabrications and/or exaggerations-extrapolations when that suit your prejudice

      Delete
    4. This old moneyed mfer is just trying to blacken a white fact to prove its insidious intention!

      Delete
    5. So CCP expected WHO to write its report based on CCP-provided summary, without access to Raw Data, and WHO accepted it.
      I call that a Whitewash, not an investigation.

      I also know how to write Summaries that align with whatever story lune I want to tell... pigs can fly..

      Delete
    6. Ain't u having been doing yr CCP/China/Chinese bashing farts based on western demoNcratic reports if dubious origin?

      U know whitewash?

      Old mounted mfer, u know nothing but the dollar sign. Anyone carrying that sign is yr daddy!

      BTW, pigs have been flying all-over yr doorstep. U r just no eye see mah.

      Delete
  4. My money is on Bat to Pangolin to Human.

    Who eats pangolin or bat sure kena. Who as in people, not WHO.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. many pangolin from butterworth smuggle to wuhan, penang govt hv main role spreading the virus, read ccp pinky forum if one wanna know more.

      Delete
    2. Wakakakakaka…

      CCP pinky forum!

      Not as confirmative as those Formosa 水炮 & 台毒 asslickers.

      BTW, pangolin is priced for its SCALES as an ingredients in some tumor prevention concoction mentioned in CTM texts.

      Few Chinese like the meat! Its meat is tasteless & usually feed to katakk/toad.

      Delete
  5. It's not over yet folks...ha ha ha...

    QUOTE
    Coronavirus: More work needed to rule out China lab leak theory says WHO

    March 31, 2021

    The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said further investigation is needed to conclusively rule that Covid-19 emerged from a laboratory in China.

    Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that although a lab leak was the least likely cause, more research was needed.

    The US and other countries have criticised China for failing to provide the WHO with sufficient data.

    Beijing has always dismissed the allegations of a virus leak.

    A report by WHO and Chinese experts released on Tuesday, said the lab leak explanation was highly unlikely and the virus had probably jumped from bats to humans via another intermediary animal.

    China has yet to respond to the WHO's latest statement.

    'All hypothesis on the table'

    However the theory that the virus might have come from a leak in a laboratory "requires further investigation, potential with additional missions involving specialist experts," Dr Tedros said on Tuesday.

    "Let me say clearly that as far as WHO is concerned, all hypothesis remain on the table," he added.
    UNQUOTE

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wakakakakaka…

    "Coronavirus: More work needed to rule out China lab leak theory says WHO"

    U has just added China in front of lab! Or u r just c&p with yr monkey Lego play!

    U want to play words? How fluid is yr England as compared with CNN/BBC?

    "However the theory that the virus might have come from a leak in a laboratory "requires further investigation, potential with additional missions involving specialist experts," Dr Tedros said on Tuesday.

    "Let me say clearly that as far as WHO is concerned, all hypothesis remain on the table," he added."

    China has never disputed about the lab leakage hypothesis. She ONLY disputes the western media claims of the leakage come from a Wuhan lab.

    That's the reason too that China has requested US & WHO to carry out lab investigation at Fort Detrick Maryland. So far, US has kept silence & many other countries have criticised US for failing to provide the WHO with sufficient data!

    Indeed, it's not over yet until the fat lady sings. Where's her stage that's the location everyone is looking for.

    China has allowed WHO investigation team to probe Wuhan. Would the US allow the same to an investigation team to Fort Detrick?

    ReplyDelete