LONDON: Further giving credence to the belief coronavirus originated in a laboratory in China, Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan in a shocking revelation has said in a video interview she has scientific proof this is the case.
Yan had been researching novel coronavirus since last year. While working at the Hong Kong School of Public Health, she came across proof coronavirus was made in a laboratory run by the Chinese government in Wuhan, she said.
Wuhan had come into the picture at the outset, not because of the lab, but because it was believed the deadly virus originated in a wet market there. Wet markets are places where live animals are often sold for their meat, In China, a variety of meats from different species of animals are widely available.
Yan said that as she was investigating pneumonia in Wuhan, she found out about coronavirus. Chinese officials ignored her warnings and the World Health Organisation (WHO) also failed to respond.
Line of fire
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom had come in the line of fire as it was believed he was selected for the post with Chinese backing. Moreover, China started to have a greater say in WHO affairs and also provided funding, forcing the organisation to toe the Chinese line and ignore warnings on coronavirus, particularly from Taiwanese doctors.
Yan said coronavirus originating from a wet market in Wuhan is simply “a smokescreen”. She said she was sure of her information as she got “her intelligence from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention from the local doctors”.
Human-to-human transmission
She alleged Chinese officials knew human-to-human transmission of the virus exists and would become an outbreak if allowed to go out of control.
“This virus is not from nature,” she said. “The genome sequence is like a human fingerprint. So, based on this, you can identify these things. I use the evidence…to tell people why this has come from the lab in China, why they are the only ones who made it.”
“Anyone, even if you have no biology knowledge, you can read it, and you can check and identify and verify by yourself. This is the critical thing for us to know the origin of the virus,” she said. “If not, we cannot overcome it – it will be life-threatening for everyone.”
Threats received
Yan alleged she had to flee to the US after receiving threats from Chinese officials when she wanted to sound the alarm. She also alleged Chinese authorities were employing people to spread rumours about her and deleting all her information.
China and its initial handling of coronavirus has also become an election issue for the 3 November presidential election in the US. President Donald Trump has firmly put the blame on China for allowing coronavirus to spread globally and is retaliating through diplomatic and economic means.
China is yet to make any comment on Yan’s claims and continues to keep its cards close to the chest.