WHO published new data on coronavirus origin

Specialists continue to study the COVID-19 origin. The main theory says that the virus comes from bats, but, still, there’s no hard evidence. WHO decided to start its own investigation.

WHO representatives said that now they are on the final stage of looking the source of infection. The researches are studying the history of human contact with animals from the last year to early this year now. They are collecting the blood, urine and feces samples of animals, in particular bats, pangolins, civets. Test systems will help to understand the genetic origin of the virus and its possible way of transmission to humans.

1200 samples of 336 species, which may be present in Wuhan market, are already collected. 8% of smears at different points, such as sewers, confirmed the presence of the virus.

Scientists believe that initially, the spreaders of the disease were bats, as only their body could carry SARS infections.

The main problem in COVID-19 origin study lies in that Chinese authorities quickly closed the Wuhan market and disinfected it. WHO scientists were able to get there only two months after the pandemic had started. All evidence was destroyed. It is also possible that the virus started to spread not from the market. It was just a place of its active transmission. Zero patients had the COVID-19 in November 2019, according to some data. Chinese authorities recognized the virus only in January 2020.

Still, American and Australian scientists concluded that the virus is of natural origin. Such conclusion was made on the base of the COVID-19 genetic structure.