SCIO press conference on COVID-19 origin tracing
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E-mail China.org.cn, July 25, 2021
Bloomberg:
Since the WHO team concluded its field mission in China, research published in June showed that animals that could've carried the coronavirus were being sold live at markets in Wuhan, including at the Huanan market. Was this known when the WHO team visited Wuhan? If not, why? And what investigation of these animals has taken place? Additionally, what communication has there been between China and the WHO about these animals? Second question, what progress has been made in checking for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the stored blood of Hubei residents collected in 2019? Thank you.
Liang Wannian:
I'll take your questions. Regarding the information mentioned in your first question, we knew nothing about this situation when the WHO and China joint team were doing their jobs in January and February. At that time, the WHO and China joint team had spent half a day conducting an on-site investigation in the Huanan Seafood Market and discussed and communicated with relevant shop owners and management staff. The joint team went into detail about the situation in the Huanan Seafood Market, including the distribution of booths, the types of items on sale, the composition of shop owners, management details, and certain regulations, to name a few. At that time when we visited the Huanan Seafood Market, it was shut down and all the businesses were closed. We got inside the market and spent hours communicating and discussing. Therefore, we have presented all the information that we know about Huanan Seafood Market, such as those concerning the composition and situation of sales staff and customers, as well as the products being sold. This information was jointly studied and discussed by the experts of the team. Thus, we did go to the Huanan Seafood Market. In fact, since the foreign experts of the joint team left Wuhan on Feb. 10, Chinese experts have maintained good communication and contact with them, because lots of scientific issues require further discussions after the field work was finished.
As you may have noticed, the WHO and China joint team held a press conference in Wuhan on Feb. 9, and the final joint research was published on the WHO's website on March 30. During this period of time, we communicated with 17 global experts almost on a daily basis in order to improve the report, since many issues required to be stated in a more precise manner. Since the research was published on March 30, we have still maintained good relationships and built sufficient communication with foreign experts. For example, Chinese experts have kept close contact with their foreign counterparts concerning follow-up works and some scientific issues. Just now, Mr. Zeng also mentioned that Chinese experts gathered and conducted research on the WHO's plan for a second phase of the study of origins of COVID-19 -- based on the experience of the first phase of such a study, especially the report of the joint study of the first phase. Experts of both sides have taken a responsible attitude. We have drafted a proposal from the perspective of Chinese experts on the WHO's plan for a second phase of the study of origins of COVID-19. During the drafting process of the proposal, we discussed and communicated with relevant WHO experts. We also hope that they could put forward relevant suggestions for the WHO from their own perspective, so as to provide a basis for better carrying out the global study of origins of COVID-19. In fact, throughout the whole COVID-19 origin-tracing process, scientists have upheld the spirit of seeking truth regarding scientific issues. We have maintained very good relationships. This is my answer to your first question.
Your second question is about blood samples. This is a very good question. Regarding the origin-tracing of the virus, apart from the early epidemiological studies, testing of early samples, especially the blood samples, if any pertinent evidence found through tests, will be conducive to tracing the earliest COVID-19 case. According to China's research, the earliest case reported in China was on December 8, as said in our research report. But the earliest reported case is an index case at most, and doesn't mean it is the primary case. The primary case refers to the first human who was infected at the moment when the virus jumped from an animal to a human. The person is also called the "patient zero." Our research and the previous related research papers of Chinese scientists fully suggest that the case reported in Wuhan on December 8 is probably not the primary case. There might be other cases that occurred before. But where did these cases come from? This is another question. The region where cases were first reported doesn't necessarily mean it is the region where the virus jumped the species barrier from animals to humans. Of course, it's better to test the blood samples. We had made our proposals in Wuhan, and invited experts from the Wuhan Blood Center to have a full discussion.
Experts from the Wuhan Blood Center told us that they had kept blood samples, but the samples were kept for the use of responding to possible medical disputes and lawsuits due to blood transfusion. Such a sample is called a "blood braid." A small amount of plasma and serum is kept in the pilot tube of a blood bag, which is sealed at both ends. In accordance with the Article 31 of the Measures for the Administration of Blood Stations, the term of preservation of a blood sample shall be two years after the whole blood or the component blood is used. A quite small amount of blood is preserved during the period and it can only be available for use when there is a medical dispute or lawsuit. For example, a donor has donated blood to a patient, and then the patient is diagnosed with Hepatitis or AIDS. The disease is probably transmitted through blood transfusion and samples are kept to determine whether the disease was caused by blood transfusion. So, samples are usually kept for two years at least, and kept in the pilot tube of the blood bag. The amount of blood serum is quite small. We believed that it was necessary for us to conduct the test. I remember that we and the experts from the Wuhan Blood Center and the WHO spent an afternoon discussing it. The issue was then specifically referred to in our report, which will be our future research work in the next stage. Once the blood from the Wuhan Blood Center is used and after the two-year validity term, meaning the samples meet the requirements stipulated in the Measures for the Administration of Blood Stations, we will carry out relevant works. In fact, the Chinese side is organizing related experts and institutions to make preparations for the work. So far, we have made several assessments and evaluations on the testing methods and action plan, which will be implemented after the expiry. Related institutions from the Chinese side also express that, once they have the results, they will deliver them to both the Chinese and foreign expert teams. Thanks.
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