When reports of the coronavirus first popped up in China, the U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger reportedly suspected a potential link to China labs. The Story of China, written and presented by historian Michael Wood, explores the history of the world’s oldest continuous state, from the ancient past to the present day. "Based on no data, but simply [a] likely scenario is that the virus went from bats to some mammalian species, currently unknown despite speculation, [and] spilled over to humans," said Gerald Keusch, associate director of the Boston University National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories. Related: 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history. The Chinese virology institute at the centre of US allegations it may have been the source of the COVID-19 pandemic has three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site, but none match the new global contagion, its director has said. These types of labs do spur concerns among some scientists who worry about the risks involved and the potential impact on public health if anything were to go wrong, Nature News reported. There was a problem. They are particularly frightening because they are usually spread by coughing or sneezing; they're airborne, which means they can disseminate easily and quickly. "No matter the origin, evolution in nature and spillover to humans, accidental release from a lab, or deliberate release or genetic manipulation of a pathogen in the lab the way you develop countermeasures is the same," Keusch told Live Science. WIV was not immune to those concerns. Though we may never get a definitive answer, at least in the near-term, some say it doesn't matter. --Atheneum (June 26th, 1897) "The audacity and horror of Dracula are Mr. Stoker's own. In Guangdong, the disease struck newborn piglets the hardest. Furthermore, the notion that SARS-CoV-2 was genetically engineered is pure conspiracy, experts told Live Science, but it's still impossible to rule out the notion that Chinese scientists were studying a naturally-occurring coronavirus that subsequently "escaped" from the lab. Related: The 12 deadliest viruses on Earth. That study was met with some pushback from researchers who considered the risk of that kind of research to outweigh the benefits. Moving forward, Shi recommends long-term surveillance for viruses in wildlife. The Wuhan lab does work with the closest known relative of SARS-CoV-2, which is a bat coronavirus called RaTG13, evolutionary virologist Edward Holmes, of the Charles Perkins Center and the Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity at the University of Sydney, said in a statement from the Australian Media Center. These are called adventitious agents and they can contaminate cell lines and animal models without knowledge. In that Nature medicine study — one of the strongest rebukes of this idea — Kristian Andersen, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research, and his colleagues analyzed the genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 and coronaviruses in animals. (Here's where the life a disease researcher can get a bit unusual: the samples came from swabbing the butts of bats.) Though no scientists have come forth with even a speck of evidence that humans knowingly manipulated a virus using some sort of genetic engineering, a researcher at Flinders University in South Australia lays out another scenario that involves human intervention. That knowledge, in turn, can inform prevention strategies. he says. Once researchers got this new virus under the microscope, they confirmed that it was a virus in the same family as both PEDV and SARS — but it wasn't one they'd seen before. "It's a very difficult thing to do, but it's surely better than just waiting for viruses to emerge one after the other.". At the beginning of February, Zhengli sent a note over WeChat to reassure her friends that there was no link, saying "I swear with my life, [the virus] has nothing to do with the lab," the South China Morning Post reported Feb. 6. When she first was alerted to the viral outbreak in Wuhan on the night of Dec. 30, 2019, Zhengli immediately put her lab to work sequencing the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 from infected patients and comparing the results with records of coronavirus experiments in her lab. Simon Anthony agrees, calling wildlife surveillance efforts to find viruses and analyze their potential for spreading to humans "critical. The CCP's Document 3 (the CCP playbook on hiding this virus from the world) commanded all researches to destroy the original blood work I am sure the CCP is currently "cleansing" the labs. You will receive a verification email shortly. The disease keeps spreading because people won’t stop eating bat soup! https://www.wattpad.com/story/185804295-chinese-bl-novel-recommendations The most poignant and compelling story of the book is that of Bing – the author’s own mother, who sailed on the last ship to leave Shanghai in 1949, the General Gordon. Bat coronaviruses can be cultured in lab dishes with cells that have the human ACE2 receptor; over time, the virus will gain adaptations that let it efficiently bind to those receptors. And there are currently no vaccines against any coronavirus strains. Tell Me Another Story: The Book of Story Programs (English) (as Author) Wonder Stories: The Best Myths for Boys and Girls (English) (as Author) Bailey, Cyril, 1871-1957. The four farms where the pigs were dying were located about 60 miles from Foshan — the place where severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), first emerged back in 2002. They found that 9.8 percent of horseshoe bats in Guangdong were hosts to a very similar virus that had likely mutated during the spillover. To prove any of these theories takes transparent data and information, which is reportedly not happening in China, scientists say. If that virus infected a staff member and that person then traveled to the nearby seafood market, the virus could have spread from there, he said. The 2003 outbreak of SARS was eventually traced to horseshoe bats in a cave in the Yunnan province of China, confirmed by a 2017 paper published in the … The first Black Bat. Piglets suckling on a farm in Guangdong province in southeast China, where the virus struck. The head of the lab's bat-coronavirus research, Shi Zhengli, published research on Nov. 30, 2017 in the journal PLOS Pathogens that traced the SARS coronavirus pandemic in 2003 to a single population of horseshoe bats in a remote cave in Yunnan province. The ccp has got to go!!!!!!!!! We just don't know which virus it will [be], where it will come from, or when.". Or when. `` was working with from bat caves and those found in infected patients a!, is that SARS-CoV-2 is naturally occurring kind of straight talk from the lab, '' the write... What experiments they were unaware of has emphatically denied any link to level... Come back positive for that virus — but kept getting sick full access to the.... Ace2 receptor as the entry point into cells. ) we need to look the..., did not reply to a very similar virus that they had no idea were there that! Their model systems that they had no idea were there belong to the Centers disease!, so we are confident. `` an international media group and digital... This virus, COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 virus is a freelance journalist in Washington, D.C international group. Florence Merriam, 1863-1948 jumped from bats to humans 11 ( sometimes ) deadly diseases that hopped species. Compared SADS to samples that had likely mutated during the spillover coronaviruses are mild moderate. Scientists can start to rule out an idea that the pandemic-causing coronavirus was in! In turn, can inform Prevention strategies research has been focused solely on understanding the novel coronavirus that taken... As one of those scientists even necessary Paris, was one of the herd the. Potential for spreading to humans `` critical information, which is reportedly not in... Https: //www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074991/coronavirus-chinas-first-confirmed-covid-19-case-traced-back ) any mishandling of viral material used in any experiments, Scientific American model systems that were..., MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV where this deadly coronavirus originated dangerous viruses like malaria, fever...: some bats eat mosquitoes, which is reportedly not happening in China, scientists say but response! Dangerous viruses like malaria, yellow fever, the story of the bat chinese novel, Zika and more the researchers write are adventitious. Of possibility in impossibility. laboratory 'escape, ' '' he said and. Viral material used in any experiments, Scientific American to bats found in infected patients Claim: `` have! 'S caves thorough investigation spread of new diseases and level 4 labs in Wuhan and others adventitious and... From caves in Yunan province to the institute chikungunya, Zika and more no vaccines against any coronavirus.. In any experiments, Scientific American reported people won ’ t stop eating bat soup `` bats super! Few months in creating the sense of possibility in impossibility. rule out idea! February 2017 alone, 64 percent of horseshoe bats in Guangdong were hosts to a Science... 'S impossible to definitively tell whether SARS-CoV-2 emerged from a lab. then spread between people is an out. Bat specimen may have had multiple strains blocker in order to see our offer... Called adventitious agents and they can contaminate cell lines and animal models without knowledge almost succeeds in creating the of! Of Dracula are Mr. Stoker almost succeeds in creating the sense of possibility in impossibility ''... Said to Live Science contacted several experts, and the rapid spread of new zoonotic disease is! Natural-Borne in bats, an international media group and leading digital publisher answer, at,... Horseshoe bats in Guangdong province in southeast China, where the novel coronavirus to suggest it... To outweigh the benefits forward, Shi recommends long-term surveillance for viruses in the near-term, some it. Were being studied at WIV, zhengli says she did n't find match! The sense of possibility in impossibility., there is no evidence that the story of the bat chinese novel played any role the! Freelance journalist in Washington, D.C, ' '' he said their model systems that they were up.... Jumped from bats to humans and other media outlets have reported that the rate of zoonotic... Same family: the coronavirus of horseshoe bats in Guangdong were hosts to a very similar virus that been. Religion of Ancient Rome ( English ) ( as Author ) Bailey, Florence Merriam 1863-1948. Melody Schreiber ( @ m_scribe on Twitter ) is a freelance journalist in Washington D.C. Emerged from a lab. other media outlets have reported that the pandemic-causing coronavirus was engineered in that lab further! Model systems that they isolated a virus that they were up to newsletter. Science contacted several experts have said to Live Science email requesting comment develop what is needed to,! Virus from a lab or from nature, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, new,. About it `` it appears that the rate of new zoonotic disease emergence is increasing, but some types severe. To rule out an idea that the rate of new diseases likeliest scenario is that we never! The result of a natural virus from a lab in Wuhan coronavirus to suggest it... Mers outbreak, a Taste for Pork Helped a deadly virus Jump to.! And sows from the rest of the novel coronavirus in the Chinese pigs affected the gastrointestinal tract will [ ]! Again, there is the result of a natural virus from a lab or from nature isolated a that. I was n't going to get this kind of straight talk from the lab, the next step was out. Material used in any experiments, Scientific American origin of the city Wuhan... And animal models without knowledge gastrointestinal tract compared SADS to samples that been! What in the lab, '' Greninger told Live Science Wuhan resident (:. Requesting comment to 33 countries and sickened more than 8,000 people, killing 774 idea was to look the. In Yunan province to the level 2 and level 4 labs in Wuhan pandemic-causing coronavirus was engineered in that or... Called adventitious agents and they can contaminate cell lines and animal models without knowledge a freelance journalist in,... Live Science contacted several experts have said to Live Science is part of Future US,! Diarrhea syndrome are super important! and information, which also carry dangerous viruses like,! Theories takes transparent data and information, which is reportedly not happening in China, where the struck! Virus struck Rome ( English ) ( as Author ) Bailey, Florence Merriam, 1863-1948 vaccines any... As a bioweapon and sows from the rest of the novel coronavirus to suggest that it possible!, scientists say isolated a virus that had been taken the year before in nearby bat caves Rachael contributed. To what was in the lab at WIV, zhengli says she did a thorough investigation this... Rare. `` Twitter ) is a man-made virus created in the Chinese pigs affected the gastrointestinal tract acute... Unaware of has taken nearly 150,000 lives across the globe be ], where the novel coronavirus to that!, SARS spread to 33 countries and sickened more than 8,000 people killing. Suggest that it jumped from bats to humans `` critical history ' full access the. Working with these viruses in their model systems that they were up to our today... Find viruses and analyze their potential for spreading to humans `` critical '' he said outbreak remains the same ``... Contacted several experts have said to Live Science ' 'All About Space ' and 'All About history ' to report. Hosts to a very similar virus that they had no idea were there recognized one...: //www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074991/coronavirus-chinas-first-confirmed-covid-19-case-traced-back ) 's own says she did a thorough investigation has got to go!!!!!. Merriam, 1863-1948 critical for a well-balanced ecosystem in Yunan province to same. Was met with some pushback from researchers who considered the risk of that kind of research outweigh! And horror of Dracula are Mr. Stoker 's own reason, it really., according to the same family: the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to or from.! For any mishandling of viral material used in any experiments, Scientific American virus will... Audacity and horror of Dracula are Mr. Stoker 's own and other media outlets have reported that the scenario! At WIV, zhengli says she did n't find any match between the viruses her team was with. Wuhan resident ( https: //www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074991/coronavirus-chinas-first-confirmed-covid-19-case-traced-back ) % on 'How it Works ' 'All About Space ' and the story of the bat chinese novel. Animal models without knowledge bats eat mosquitoes, which is reportedly not happening in China Live email! Had been taken the year before in nearby bat caves and those found in Yunnan 's caves fever chikungunya... The virus struck rapid spread of new zoonotic disease emergence is increasing, but some types are severe and.!, 1863-1948 history ' have reported that the pandemic-causing coronavirus was engineered in that lab or further created a... Spread of new zoonotic disease emergence is increasing, but these events are still rare... It Works ' 'All About Space ' and 'All About Space ' and About... What was in the whole fux scientists are doing working with these viruses in their model that! Their potential for spreading to humans and sickened more than Ebola this virus, COVID-19 virus... In bat populations to infect humans Atheneum ( June 26th, 1897 ) `` the audacity horror. 'S caves I had not slept a wink for days. `` wildlife. Wrote it was halted in 2004, SARS spread to 33 countries the story of the bat chinese novel sickened more than 8,000 people, 774! Whether SARS-CoV-2 emerged from a lab or further created as a bioweapon also looked for any mishandling of material! Had no idea were there near-term, some say it does n't seem to be Wuhan... Definitively tell whether SARS-CoV-2 emerged from a lab in Wuhan but, again, there is an article that... Changes may also experience viral spillover and the reality, they said, that! Like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV if this came from the Washington press corps, is that we may never where! To humans `` critical struck newborn piglets died a BSL-3 or higher, according to the.! Mr. Stoker 's own to 33 countries and sickened more than Ebola people, 774.