The origin of COVID-19

In this 15 May 2020 file photo, people line up for medical workers to take swabs for the coronavirus test at a large factory in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei Province – AP

The special investigative report aired over Sky News channel a month ago, revealed hidden details of the origin of coronavirus and the cover-ups that followed to prevent leakage of vital information into public domain by the Chinese administration. 

Despite continuous denials of the Chinese administration, the scientists of Wuhan Institute of Virology have been actively conducting research to develop viruses taking samples of blood from bats creating a new deadly variant through ‘gain of function’. 

Introduction

Wuhan Virology Research Centre was established jointly with the aid of the French Government in 2014 and with cooperation of its scientist. This laboratory was accredited by China National Accreditation Service for conformity and assessment. The French scientist left the Virology Centre due to continued interference and monitoring of research centre activities by the Chinese Army. Photos have been shown to prove the engagement of military, guarding the premises 24x7.

The establishment of this laboratory was classified as biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) as it handles and carries-out research on dangerous viruses (e.g. SARS, influenza H5N1, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue). It was also revealed that the Wuhan Virology Research Centre (hereafter called as WVRC) had strong ties with USA Galveston National Laboratory and Canadian Microbiology Laboratory since inception. 

Premise of investigation

Eminent intelligentsia (of US, UK, Australia and Russia) of a wide range of disciplines have been interviewed in the course of the 60-minute program together with the former US President, former Secretary of State and also the Chinese who fled to the US in anticipation of reprisals for revealing the true state of activities conducted at the laboratory. 

As per the US Government, funding was provided to WVRC for research work on deadly and harmful viruses as they found no other country, including USA, was willing to allow such a potentially dangerous research centre be established in their backyard. China has taken the home ground advantage to further their research with the focus of creating deadly viruses, leveraging ‘gain of function’.

Nevertheless, there were allegations that French, and US governments were involved in establishing institution and funding for research, the evidence not clearly substantiated as the research was aimed at developing biological weaponry but to control and prevent epidemics against viruses. 

Findings

The 2019 military games, a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organised under the auspices of International Military Council was held in Wuhan, a booming metropolis of China, during 18-27 October where 9,000 athletes from 100 countries took part. 

It has been said that the Chinese targeted this military game as a testing ground to assess the effect of this virus and its severity. Subsequently, it has been reported that several people who participated have contracted some sort of infection, showing identical symptoms to COVID 19. This was the very early piece of information came through media but haven’t been confirmed as COVID-19. 

It has been gathered during the course of the interviews conducted by an investigative journalist that Chinese administration has repeatedly attempted to dismiss allegations of leakage of the virus from WVRC but brought conspiracy theories to convince that the virus was carried by the bats being sold at Wuhan Wet Market. Further said the transmission of virus was through consumption of bats’ meat and no scientific proof of leakage. 

Multiple photos and video clips have been shown confirming the presence of live bats at the facility and a Chinese scientist taking virus samples. It was also revealed that the virus contained in the blood samples was 92.6% equivalent to COVID-19 virus and research were done genetically altering the organism in a way to enhance the biological functions of gene, which is scientifically called as Gain of Function (GoF).

Several people, including Chines journalists who have spoken out and released vital facts to media, have disappeared into oblivion. As per the information available, a leading scientist who was nicknamed Bat Woman went missing from the radar upon contracting the infection. Similarly, several staff of WVRC have also disappeared.

As previously mentioned, the Chinese administration had taken unprecedented steps to cover up the affairs of WVRC and prevent more leakages of vital information to media. As an attempt they have completely isolated the WVRC by preventing cell phones into the premises, screened all activities and creating a quasi-Faraday cage to shut communication with outside world. 

During this period, 22,000 records have suddenly disappeared from WVRC database and Chinese have beefed up the security within the compound. The air-conditioning system had also been replaced, preventing staff getting contracted with COVID-19. As per one of the interviewees, body bags have been piled up and transported out of the premises and it was reported that these people died with identical symptoms of COVID 19. 

The US has also been blamed for its inaction and failure to collect, analyse, process and disseminate information in a timely manner with less consideration to intelligence reports at hand since November 2019 which could have prevented the catastrophe that affected many facets of human life. 

Analysis and deductions

Disappearing from the public domain, either permanently or on a temporary basis, is the prerogative of any individual to protect their privacy; this is the accepted norm of the developed world. In contrast, the privacy and freedom of expression of the Chinese have been forcibly taken by the administration and hence they have the power over individuals with least concern for people’s wellbeing.

Actions are taken against the will of individuals to maintain privacy and protect the administration from any adversity. During this period many have witnessed and through intelligence reports, whistle-blowers and outspoken journalist have been disappeared into oblivion.  

Chinese conspiracy theorists and the State propaganda arm continued their efforts to claim that coronavirus was carried and transmitted by animals, especially bats, and spread in the vicinity of the marketplace, disclaiming GoF activities and leakage as a result. On the contrary, it was proved that if bats were not infected while carrying viruses, it was scientifically proven that the virus is not transmissible to human by animals either consuming bats meat or spread from the Wuhan Wet Markets. 

WVRC has been the epicentre of coronavirus, it is hard to disprove otherwise that coronaviruses came from elsewhere as concentration of infected people was centred around Wuhan. This is an undeniable fact to dispel the conspiracy theories. It was also reported that the virus samples taken from bats classified as RatG13 were 92.6% identical to COVID-19. WVRC was the repository of coronaviruses and research was carried out not solely for developing defence against viruses but also developing biological warfare as defence against potential enemies or to wage a war to build supremacy in warfare.

It was discovered that during the Obama administration, the US was funding through an NGO for GoF research at WVRC, however it was subsequently terminated by the President himself. President Trump was accused of recommencing funding for GoF, but his answer to this allegation was not highly impressive and diverted the focus and said he acted on the advice of experts. However, he later said that with the lobbing against the GoF, he ended and stop funding for WVRC.

Former US President Trump categorically accused China of the pandemic at a recent UN session, as a result of the “Trump factor” many journal articles written were not accepted by the publishers of reputed journals to avoid alliance. The articles that were said to be written based on scientific experiments and comprehensive analysis challenging the Chinese versions were based on fabrications and false pretence.  

The WHO Director General made a statement on 11 March 2020 about the developing coronavirus situation and said they were assessing around the clock and expressed their deep concern about the alarming levels and severity and it is like shedding crocodile tears and implicitly protecting WVRC activities. 

In contrast, WHO failed to send a team of experts to Wuhan in timely manner, but sent after a lapse of 12 months to assess the root cause. The US suggested three names of experts to the team but none of them were picked, instead one of the US scientists who was a close confidant of China was selected. The subsequent WHO report diminished the opposite view of Chinese and confirmed that there were neither GoF activities nor live bats and no military activities in Wuhan. This report totally contradicts and mismatches intelligence reports.

After being installed as the new President of the US, four months later he ordered a probe into the coronavirus, the report was inconclusive and concluded that the virus could be transmitted through infected animals or from Wuhan Laboratory. 

It has been said that certain factional elements within Chinese communities were expressing dissatisfaction of mishandling the coronavirus saga and the disrepute caused thence. It was predicted that the dissatisfaction may likely transform to a formidable force challenging the current leadership in the near future, three to four years down the track. 

There are other schools of thought that the leakage of COVID-19 creating this worldwide pandemic was an accident and due gross incompetence of staff, an undeliberate attempt without preparedness. This further substantiates while considering the self-inflicted damage on the Chinese people themselves; several thousands of Chinese were infected and died and a lot of cover-up propaganda has been discharged with a load of conspiracy theories. These events show the GoF activities were conducted in secrecy and have surfaced at a time the Chinese were totally unprepared and taken by surprise. 

Conclusion

Despite the aggressive, well-targeted damage control efforts by the Chinese administration, Chinese media has failed to provide substantiated counter claims to clear the mismatch of evidence between independent intelligence reports and what has been reported by Chinese media. It was evident that the cover-ups had no basis, although the WHO and some foreign confidant and sympathisers of the Chinese regime have expressed that there were no such GoF activities or attempts to prepare biological weaponry and reject the scientific analysis of the West outright. Nevertheless, the facts collected through intelligence reports, from whistle-blowers and outspoken journalists are incontrovertible.

This Frankenstein style virus was a product of WVRC and all the circumstantial evidence points to the Chinese building a platform in secrecy until it was accidentally leaked and to their surprise. It is doubtful that the Chinese have stopped the GoF activities as a result of condemnations and accusations directed at them, but who knows whether they are still engaged and continuing with enhanced State protection against world opinion?

Applying the behaviour of the Chinese to a Sri Lankan context, it is to be noted that close ties and association appear to be a very dangerous stance as their motives are only to safeguard their interest and build their kingdom at any expense and least concerns of the beneficiary. It is evident from the recent developments in Sri Lanka that the administration is leading to such a state, adopting the Chinese style administration where people’s wellbeing and privacy are not 

respected.

We never know if in future China will establish a Virology Research Centre in Sri Lanka similar to the act of dumping their sewerage fertiliser containing harmful bacteria, claiming it is organic fertiliser and made in conformance with accepted standards. We need to keep our eyes wide open.