Lately, the hypothesis that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, had leaked from the lab of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV0, in Wuhan, the capital of Central China's Hubei province, is gaining ground, albeit without credible scientific evidence to show. However, speculation and theories continue.
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
'Plan-demic Theory'
This theory supports the view that the virus was deliberately engineered and developed in a lab to cause a pandemic. An ex-secret service officer from Israel, Dany Shoham was the first to broach the Wuhan Lab-engineered SARS-CoV-2 theory.
The American far-right has latched on to the pre-print of research by Hong Kong scientist, Li-Meng Yan. The preprint said that the virus was modified in the lab and wasn't of natural origin.
Chinese version of 'Plan-demic theory' is that it was engineered by the US Army at Fort Detrick.
Engineered for research
One theory is that SARS-CoV-2 got leaked after it was engineered as part of "gain-of-function"(GoF) research to further understand drug targets for more virulent viruses, in this case SARS-CoV-2.
GoF research resolves intentionally altering microbes to increase pathogenesis and transmissibility and identify types of hosts that bacteria/virus can infect. This is meant to aid vaccine and drug R&D.
What is supporting Wuhan Lab Leak Theory?
* Ongoing research on bats at WIV
* Bats are known to host a range of coronaviruses
* The WIV is a few kilometres from the Huanan wet market where the first Covid-19 cluster was detected in Nov 2019
* Lab leak theory gained prominence this year after science writer Nicholas Wade's essay on the subject
* The idea has gotten momentum after US President Joe Biden called for a detailed probe into the lab
5G Network Conspiracy?
Conspiracy theorists in Feb 2020 used social media groups to spread allegations of a link between the 5G network and Covid-19 spread. They claimed the Wuhan outbreak was caused by electromagnetic fields after the rollout of 5G tech leak theory.
Biden's call was based on the US Government's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which conducted a study in May 2020, stating that the hypothesis of virus leak from the Wuhan lab was plausible and needs to be investigated thoroughly.
Source : The NIE
My take
I've been saying, right from the beginning, that the pattern of spread showed very clearly that it was a perfidy of the Chinese government, which is turning out to be true! The investigation must proceed with speed so that all doubts are cleared. China must, then, be treated as a pariah nation and penalised for the damages it caused globally.
Tailpiece.
Got up half an hour late, the chores and was ready by a 20' to 10. It was a rainy day.
A short siesta and then took part in the Aazhchakkoottam : "The global spread of Covid-19 and the present Indian situation'' - Dr Sunil Chacko, Former Adviser World Bank & WHO. It was an interesting discussion.
A quiet evening thereafter.
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