Since its outbreak in December 2019, the origin of COVID-19 has triggered a world-altering pandemic. It has been the topic of heated discussions - some claiming it is lab-borne, some saying it's from a natural mutation.
While there is evidence that the virus was initially discovered in Wuhan, China, the virus's actual origin is uncertain.
Scientists and researchers worldwide are attempting to identify the animal that initially transferred the virus to people. Still, their attempts have been impeded by the Chinese government's unwillingness to cooperate.
A recent study by Chinese scientists, covered by this Tech Times report, reveals that raccoon dogs illegally sold at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan in 2019 may have transmitted the virus. However, it is still unknown if raccoon dogs were the virus's first animal reservoir - origin species.
Why Detecting the Virus' Origin Is Difficult
Finding the animal reservoir of a novel virus is a long and difficult process made more complicated by the Chinese government's intervention in the probe for the pandemic's origins, according to this Vox report.
According to the same report, international investigators were not allowed to visit the Huanan market until more than a year after the epidemic began. When a World Health Organization delegation was ultimately allowed to arrive, their access was tightly controlled and choreographed.
The WHO team's study concludes that zoonotic spillover - the transmission of infections from wild animals to people - was the most likely source of the virus. Still, it was unable to identify the animal reservoir.
The findings also ruled out the likelihood of a lab origin, which has been a point of contention since the outbreak began - and one of the possible origins, backed in "low confidence" by US agencies.
The Chinese government has denied involvement in the virus's origination on several instances, but there are worries that they are concealing something.
Is China hiding something?
The Chinese government's handling of the investigation has sparked international concern. Officials in China have often attempted to deflect blame and criticism by accusing other countries of spreading the virus. They have also been accused of suppressing critical data and samples that might aid in determining the virus's origins.
The Wall Street Journal reported that in response to the findings, officials from WHO, the United States, the United Kingdom, and numerous other nations demanded more research into the lab leak hypothesis.
The scientific community also pushed for a more robust, transparent study with broader access to data, albeit they did not specifically call for a complete probe of the lab hypothesis.
The United States also produced proposals to submit to the WHO for a second phase of pandemic origin research.
The Chinese government's lack of transparency has rendered it difficult for researchers to perform a full inquiry into the virus's origins.
Scientists cannot identify the animal reservoir or rule out the likelihood of a lab leak without access to all the data and samples. The Chinese government's involvement in the probe calls into question the Chinese government's commitment to global health and safety.
The Vox report suggested that unless a whistleblower provides vital information to the scientific community, the process will be slow and grueling.
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