To date 6.2 million people have died and a lot still are suffering from Covid-19 pandemic in various ways. Since China is dodging material facts, people are rightly pondering about the origin of Covid-19 virus. The virus is similar to Severe Acute respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS ) which was first identified in 2002 in China. SARS and MERS have been scientifically established that the virus originated in animals and later transformed to infect human being.
On 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. A novel corona virus (SARS coronavirus-2 or SARS-CoV-2 ) was subsequently identified from patient samples. Later, US intelligence agreed in principle that SARS-CoV-2 also emerged from animal to humans.
However there was a speculation early in the pandemic that the virus could have accidentally leaked from Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIH), although there was no evidence to back up that theory. As far back as 2007, the laboratory reportedly knew how to convert a virus that only infected bats into one that could infect humans. A series of 'chimeras’ was constructed by inserting different sequences of the SARS-CoV S into the genetic backbone of the virus.
The maverick, US President Donald Trump undercut his own intelligence agencies by suggesting that he had seen evidence that corona virus for Covid-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory. WIH is one of the accredited virology institutes in the world which has over 1500 types of deadly virus. The institute is about 14 miles away from the infamous wet market in Wuhan, from where the Covid-19 virus is believed to have originated.
US government wanted to investigate whether, Covid-19 is from a lab leak/escape of virus or from wet market. World Health Organization( WHO) wanted to send a scientific delegation to Wuhan, to track down the origin of the virus. But the Chinese government allowed only one scientist called Peter Daszac , who had already made up his mind that the Covid-19 outbreak was due to zoonosis. Zoonosis means disease or infection that are naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to human being. Decentralized Radical Autonomous Search Team Investigating COVID-19 (DRASTIC) uncovered details about the research at the WIV, and how Eco Health Alliance funnelled U.S. government money to the WIH lab.
Peter Daszak, a British zoologist is a public expert in the Pathogenesis of diseases of viral origin. He had an existing relationship with Wuhan Institute of Virology. He is also the president of Eco Health Alliance. In a letter published in The Lancet on 19 February 2020, he stated: "We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin and overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife”. Therefore, the conflict of interest and intentions of Daszac were evident in supporting zoonosis theory. This dubious attitude of Daszac and Chinese government to cover up the emergence of the virus helped the protagonists to reinforce the thesis of laboratory leak.
In most of the virology institutes, including, Wuhan Institute of Virology, it is customary to perform ‘gain of function’ research. This research genetically alters an organism in a way that may enhance the biological functions of gene products. This may include an altered pathogenesis, transmissibility and host range. This can be done on most micro-organisms. ‘Gain of Function’ in fact is an experimental manipulation of an organism. By artificially changing the organism, scientists can learn what drugs or physical agents can destroy the organisms, should a genetic change occur in an organism. American scientists speculate that during this process, the scientists in WIV, might have leaked the genetically modified virus or the virus might have escaped through lax system resulting in Covid-19 pandemic.
Furin is a protease enzyme, encoded in the furin gene. Except in Covid-19 virus, all other corona viruses have naturally occurring Furin Cleavage sites. Furin cleaves the SARS-CoV-2 spike at the interface of its two subunits. The cleavage site for covid-19 is artificial looking, and there was no evidence of natural evolution. Therefore the Covid-19 virus would have been artificially created unlike SARS and MERS corona virus. The transmissibility of the Covid-19 virus is attributed to the unique nature of furin cleavage.
Australia, the US, the European Union and Japan have called for a robust investigation into SARS-CoV-2’s origins in China. This is because a number of viruses have emerged in China and later transmitted all over the world since prehistoric times. The important ones are prehistoric plague, wiped out entire Chinese village about 5000 years ago, the Asian Flu 1957, the Flu pandemic 1968, SARS out break between 2002. Mortality was high in all the above pandemics. The emergence of new mutated viruses specially adapted to attack human being is developed through breeding of animals like beavers, pangolins, porcupines, scorpions, bats, crocodiles, snakes and mongoose. More over they are slaughtered in the presence of customers in the wet market. Most civilized countries are demanding China to abolish the traditional wet market system.
In view of the ‘gain of function’ research in bats, as early as 2017, some scientists expressed concerns about the risk of pathogens escaping from the WIV. Medical science is not a stranger to laboratory leak of virus as it had occurred in 2007 causing the out break of ‘foot and mouth’ disease in the UK. There is evidence to show that it has happened in China. The leak or emergence of virus can be accidental or intentional, either from WIV or from Wuhan Centre For Disease Control & Prevention (WCDCP). If it would be intentional, this might be due to the military strategy of the country, and should be stringently tackled.
In the above discussion, I elucidated whether a new virus from a pre existing one can be created and how one can stipulate whether it is newly created or evolved through zoonosis. A lot of people think that Covid-19 was genetically engineered and deliberately released. The theory of ‘man made’ was borne out because the tight lipped Chinese authorities hushed up evidences on corona viruses genomes and do not allow WHO delegates or other independent scientists to investigate the origin of Covid-19 virus.
Dr.C.J.George FRCS
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