4 ms·

I find the hypothesis that the virus originated from contact between wild animals and humans in the area unsatisfactory, given that: * The most genetically sim

I find the hypothesis that the virus originated from contact between wild animals and humans in the area unsatisfactory, given that: * The most genetically similar zoonotic virus to SARS-CoV-2 was found in Horseshoe Bats, in a cave in Yunnan China, 1200km away from Wuhan. * This species of bat isn't even found within 150km of Wuhan China * Bats are not commonly sold at wet markets. Furthermore, bats are not commonly eaten in China. * There’s no evidence that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, where the first cluster of cases was discovered, ever sold bats. * The Pangolin as an intermediate host theory, which you suggested, has been invalidated https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7405773/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7405773/ * The first known case of SARS-CoV-2, found in a 55-year old man in November 2019, had no ties to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074991/coronavirus-chinas-first-confirmed-covid-19-case-traced-back https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074991/coro... * 13 of the 41 first known cases also had no link to the marketplace https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6... Chinese authorities have tried very hard to cover up the origin of the outbreak. They have refused to publish the travel history or close contacts of the 55-year old first known patient. Furthermore, they have issued a gag order to all doctors about discussing the early stages of the outbreak https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/11/9833532bb925-chinas-authorities-issue-gag-order-about-virus-to-doctors-in-wuhan.html https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/11/9833532bb925-chin... Given the above, and how I have little faith the WHO will independently investigate the origins of the virus, it's very likely there will never be a concrete answer to how SARS-CoV-2 first spread to humans.

KMag 6y ago
Interesting information. This is much better than the supporting information I had seen earlier (debunked story about HIV genes being spliced in, etc., etc.) From what I've seen, the Chinese government has a very authoritarian mindset, and assume any hint of pushback is a sign of agitators. They tend to obstruct all investigation, even when they're not trying to hide anything specific. They try and get anything even mildly embarrassing out of the news as quickly as possible by stonewalling. I was in China 2 months before the melamine milk scandal broke, and even after the story broke, they tried to suppress information, even though I'm not aware that there were ever any government connections to the scandal. They just hated the embarrassment.

KMag 6y ago

Interesting information. This is much better than the supporting information I had seen earlier (debunked story about HIV genes being spliced in, etc., etc.) From what I've seen, the Chinese government has a very authoritarian mindset, and assume any hint of pushback is a sign of agitators. They tend to obstruct all investigation, even when they're not trying to hide anything specific. They try and get anything even mildly embarrassing out of the news as quickly as possible by stonewalling. I was in China 2 months before the melamine milk scandal broke, and even after the story broke, they tried to suppress information, even though I'm not aware that there were ever any government connections to the scandal. They just hated the embarrassment.