SCIO press conference on COVID-19 origin tracing
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E-mail China.org.cn, July 25, 2021
Global Times:
At present, the start point of the global spread of the coronavirus continues to go further back. Some have proposed studies to be conducted in multiple countries and regions around the globe within the framework of the WHO. The United States, in particular, should also be subject to investigation. What are your opinions of that? Thank you.
Liang Wannian:
I'd like to take this question first before having the other experts share their opinions. Results of ongoing studies into the origin tracing by scientists in various countries showed that this coronavirus emerged in multiple places in the world before the time we knew about its existence. Here are some examples.
Samples from November 2019: A SARS-CoV-2 in situ hybridization reaction detected at multiple parts on skin biopsy of an Italian woman.
Samples from November 27, 2019: Coronavirus genetic materials detected in wastewater collected from a Brazilian city.
Samples from December 13, 2019-January 17, 2020: Check-ups of donated blood samples for archive in nine U.S. states found that 106 blood samples tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.
The early gene sequences collected from Iran, Brazil and Italy on December 24, 2019 uploaded to national databases.
The mid of December 2019: The prevalence of neutralizing antibodies reportedly increased in France.
Sample from December 27, 2019: A throat swab of a French patient with hemoptysis tested positive for coronavirus RNA in RT-PCR detection.
Samples from January 2020: Waste water samples collected in Barcelona of Spain tested positive for coronavirus.
Samples from January 2, 2020-March 18, 2021: Nine of 24,079 blood samples from 50 U.S. states tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.
These examples come from recent studies of scientists from around the world, which show that Wuhan might not have been the first place of SARS-CoV-2 inception. The spread of the virus could be complex, with a cyclical infection chain from a human or an animal host to an object, and then to humans and later back to objects. Just now, Mr. Wang Chen talked about the importance of the studies into cold chains. In fact, the studies into the entire transmission pattern of the virus, including its origin tracing have offered us a new vision and a new issue, as well as a new scientific proposition to solve. As for the modes of transmission and circulation, how the virus jumped from animals to people, including from animals to objects and then to people? what is the logical relationship between them? What are their roles and interface points? All shed lights on new research ideas.
Next, studies into early cases, biological samples, genetic sequences, natural hosts, intermediate hosts and cold chains should be conducted with joint efforts in multiple countries and regions around the globe. To explore trans-species infections and viruses' global spread, research work ought to be done on the diversity of viruses and their evolution in animal hosts, on the interaction among animals, environment and humans, and on the factors affecting virus infections among people. This is what we need to do in the future.
Viruses are a common enemy of mankind; and in both prevention and treatment, we must unite. The critical, complicated and difficult scientific mission of tracing origins of viruses requires cooperation of scientists across the world, of governments and of all people. Thank you.
Wang Chen:
I want to share a view that the findings just mentioned by Professor Liang have also been recognized by the international scientific community, which suggest the possibility of multiple sources. The origin-tracing work is so complex with diversity. If we really want to find the origins, we should not be restricted in our vision but rather broaden it. It is an important issue of direction for the world to make systemic studies of origin tracing in multiple regions and multiple orientations.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you, to our speakers and journalists from the media. Today's briefing is hereby concluded. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Yang Xi, He Shan, Guo Yiming, Zhang Junmian, Li Xiao, Xu Xiaoxuan, Li Huiru, Liu Sitong, Guo Xiaohong, Zhang Rui, Wang Wei, Huang Shan, Zhu Bochen, Cui Can, Liu Qiang, Gong Yingchun, Yuan Fang, Wang Yanfang, Wang Zhiyong, Duan Yaying, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
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