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Experts warn of pandemic disaster unless we understand COVID origin
Leading US infectious disease experts say we could face “Covid-26” and “Covid-32”
Scott Gottlieb from Pfizer Inc. warns if we want to avoid possible covid-26 and Covid-32 pandemics, cooperation from China is crucial.
This comes amid growing speculation that coronavirus may have leaked from a lab in Wuhan way back in November 2019.
Photographer: Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images
“There’s going to be Covid-26 and Covid-32 unless we fully understand the origins of Covid-19”
Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital CENTRE for Vaccine Development
Peter Hotez from the Texas Centre for Vaccine Development also says scientists should be allowed to conduct an investigation in China.
He says a team should study COVID’s origins in the Hubei province for six months to a year. He added the team should include scientists, epidemiologists, virologists and bat ecologists.
However, Chinese officials say the inquiry is evidence of “stigmatisation, political manipulation and blame-shifting”
New coronavirus strain that spreads more easily than others
This comes as authorities in Vietnam recently detected a new coronavirus variant.
Experts think the strain may be a hybrid from India and the United Kingdom.
The Vietnamese health minister said scientists found the new variant after examining the genetic makeup of the virus.
Lab tests also suggest the new strain might spread more easily than other versions of the virus.
Investigations into COVID’s origns
Last week, US President Joe Biden announced that his administration would be conducting an independent investigation into Covid-19.
Biden asked the country’s intelligence organisations to “redouble their efforts” and establish a definitive conclusion within 90 days.
He said: “the U-S will keep working with like-minded partners around the world to press China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation”.
