• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Covid lab leak should not be ruled out, says Chinese scientist

Wuhan is home to one of China’s top national laboratories known to have spent years studying coronaviruses.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2023-05-30 08:11
in News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

The possibility the Covid virus leaked from a laboratory should not be ruled out, a former top Chinese government scientist has said.

The view of virologist and immunologist Professor George Gao is in stark contrast to that of the Chinese government which dismisses any suggestion the virus may have originated in a Wuhan laboratory.

Prof Gao, the former head of China’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC), told the BBC Radio 4 podcast Fever: The Hunt for Covid’s Origin: “You can always suspect anything. That’s science. Don’t rule out anything.”

Prof Gao is now vice president of the National Natural Science Foundation of China after retiring last year from the CDC, where he played a key role in the pandemic response and efforts to trace how it started.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK told the BBC: “The so-called ‘lab leak’ is a lie created by anti-China forces. It is politically motivated and has no scientific basis.”

Natural origin

The theory that the virus accidentally leaked from a laboratory resurfaced in February when the FBI’s director said this is where it “most likely” originated – although there is no consensus among US intelligence agencies on the question.

The BBC reports that many scientists say the weight of evidence suggests that a natural origin – the virus spreading from animals to humans – is the most likely scenario.

The idea the virus infected someone involved in research which was designed to better understand the threat of viruses emerging from nature is another suggestion.

Wuhan is home to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), one of China’s top national laboratories known to have spent years studying coronaviruses.

RelatedPosts

Tories ‘acting in interests’ of wealthiest as living costs soar – Corbyn

Man denied entry to baseball game after trying to take his ’emotional support alligator’

BBC release trailer of Steve Coogan as Jimmy Savile

Another one bites the dust: Calvin Robinson given the heave-ho by GB News

“Extremely unlikely”

Professor Gao told the BBC some kind of formal investigation into the WIV was carried out and “that lab was double-checked by the experts in the field”.

Stating he has not seen the result, but has “heard” that the lab was given a clean bill of health, Prof Gao added: “I think their conclusion is that they are following all the protocols. They haven’t found (any) wrongdoing.”

Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Market and hospitals near it were the focus of searches for potential explanation for the virus early in the pandemic.

An investigation into Covid’s origin by the World Health Organisation said it was “extremely unlikely” the virus leaked from a lab.

Plans for a second phase of the investigation, involving audits of laboratories in the Wuhan area, were rejected by the Chinese government, the podcast adds.

Related: Russian authorities race to remove new war film as footage gets shared on social media

Tags: COVID-19 Coronavirus
Previous Post

Emotional moment Paxman signs off University Challenge for the last time

Next Post

Eamonn Holmes alleges ‘total cover-up’ at ITV over Phillip Schofield

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

More from TLE

BBC coverage nowhere to be seen as European news channels broadcast re-join march

Gordon Brown: States that profited from oil surge should pay global windfall

Rutherglen by-election of ‘monumental significance’, says Starmer

West faces existential threat if global asylum rules not tightened – Braverman

No need for ‘newt motel’ as Boris Johnson gets permission to build swimming pool

Do you need to run a career credit score?

Lib Dems receive £1m legacy donation boost to election war chest

Labour enjoys boost to election war chest as Tories recover from 2022 turmoil

Rosebank oil field given the go-ahead

Lee Anderson brags after getting ‘exclusive scoop’ with the home secretary

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




← Emotional moment Paxman signs off University Challenge for the last time ← Eamonn Holmes alleges ‘total cover-up’ at ITV over Phillip Schofield
-->