Senate report on COVID coronavirus origins
the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 that resulted in the COVID-19 pandemic was most likely the result of a research-related incident
www.help.senate.gov/imo/media...
Dec. 20, 2019 to Jan. 18, 2020
Searches for flu-like symptoms
Cases probably started mid October, 2019
Analysis of Natural Zoonotic Origins Hypothesis
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
Lack of intermediate bats to humans
Virus likely needed to circulate in an intermediate host
An animal virus must evolve to gain human infecting potential
Closest virus is in horseshoe bats residing in Southern China or Southeast Asia
Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak Differs from Previous Natural Zoonotic Spill overs
Lack of dead ends spill over events, no epidemiological train in animals or humans
Influenza
Infected poultry and birds always found
H7N9 (2019) multiple independent introductions across multiple locations
Geographically disparate, independent spill overs of H7N9
Avian Influenza
had circulated in bird populations,
time and several provinces in China before the first known human infections
SARS epidemic
At least five independent spill overs of the SARS virus into humans
Live animal markets followed by human to human
E.g. Guangdong Province, November 2002 to January 2003
SARS, later on in 2003 - 2004
Additional independent subsequent spill over infections in humans
Civets identified within 6 months
Early SARS viral samples from humans contained genetic mutations that reflected prior circulation and adaptation in palm civets
In total contrast
Chinese government, asserted that the COVID-19 originated from a natural zoonotic transmission occurring at the Huanan market
Geo-temporal spread of COVID-19 in China, December 31, 2019 to February 11, 2020
Earliest identified SARS-CoV-2 well-adapted for human-to-human transmission
Early SARS-CoV-2 variants had little genetic diversity, 2 nucleotides out of 29,900
(Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, Uracil)
No evidence of previous intermediate host circulation
Genetic similarity between the environmental samples and human viral samples,
supports the likelihood that the virus found at the Huanan Seafood Market was shed by humans
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee,
to address pandemic preparedness and response programs
Interim report, to examine the two prevailing theories of origin
Last fifteen months
Reviewed several hundred scientific studies,
interviewed several dozen subject matter experts,
analyzed previous reports and studies.
The lack of transparency and collaboration from government and public health officials in the People’s Republic of China with respect to the origins of SARS-CoV-2 prevents reaching a more definitive conclusion.
I hope this report will guide the World Health Organization and other international institutions
Introduction
Challenging
Since January 3, 2020,
People’s Republic of China (PRC) have prohibited sharing or publishing any information on SARS-CoV-2 without state review and approval.
Establishing timeline, is difficult
Mid October, 2019