Where the World’s at in the Hunt for the Origins of Covid-19

February 27, 2023

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The Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. Source: NIAID

By Jason Gale and Michelle Fay Cortez, Bloomberg

Scientists have yet to determine the origins of Covid-19, years after it touched off the worst pandemic in more than a century. Some of the closest related viruses to the one that causes it, SARS-CoV-2, were found in bats roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the disease erupted in late 2019. Initially, cases were tied to a fresh food market and possibly the wildlife sold there. An investigation in early 2021 highlighted the possibility that certain mammals acted as a vector, transferring the virus from bats to humans. More politically charged theories allege the virus accidentally escaped from a nearby research laboratory, or entered China from another country via imported frozen food. Amid all the posturing, governments and scientists agree that deciphering the creation story is key to reducing the risk of future pandemics.

Where, when and how a pathogen begins spreading in humans can be difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint…

More here (possible paywall) >

My AI helper Micky and I cannot get beyond the paywall, but Micky summarized the article anyway:

“The article discusses the ongoing search for the origin of the COVID-19 virus, which has been the subject of much speculation and debate. It provides a timeline of events related to the outbreak, including the initial identification of the virus in Wuhan, China in December 2019, and the subsequent global spread of the disease.

“The origin of the coronavirus remains a mystery. Some believe it jumped from animals to humans, while others suspect a lab leak in Wuhan, China. Investigations have been hampered by lack of cooperation from the Chinese government, but scientists continue to gather evidence. One theory suggests the virus originated in bats and was transmitted to humans through another animal. Another theory is that it leaked from a lab studying bat coronaviruses in Wuhan. While the truth remains unknown, discovering the virus’s origin is crucial to preventing future pandemics.”