Knowing Covid's origin critical for future outbreaks: 18 scientists write demanding broader inquiry

The scientists argue that knowing the origins of the virus is of critical importance as it will help in informing global strategies to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks

Amid a growing call for an investigation of the origins of the novel coronavirus pandemic that has bruised and battered every country on the planet, 18 scientists in a letter have asked for a deeper inquiry into the source of the deadly pathogen. The scientists want an inquiry into whether the virus was an accidental leak due to human errors or if it originated naturally.

The letter, led by Jesse Bloom, who pursues the evolution of viruses at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the US, was published in the journal Science. "More investigation is still needed to determine the origin of the pandemic. Theories of accidental release from a lab and zoonotic spillover both remain viable," the letter states.

The scientists argue that knowing the origins of the virus is of critical importance as it will help in informing global strategies to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks.

Amid growing pressure from countries, China had in 2020 allowed a team of World Health Organisation into Wuhan, the ground zero of the pandemic, to look for evidence over the origin of the Covid-19. In November, the Terms of Reference for a ChinaWHO joint study was released.

"Although there were no findings in clear support of either a natural spillover or a lab accident, the team assessed a zoonotic spillover from an intermediate host as “likely to very likely,” and a laboratory incident as “extremely unlikely”. The WHO team had visited the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China where SARS viruses were studied. Following the report, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus had remarked that evidence supporting a laboratory accident was insufficient.

The WHO report, while inconclusive, had suggested that the pandemic most likely began from animal-to-human transmission and began circulation in Wuhan.

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Agreeing with the WHO chief's assessment, the scientists added that greater clarity about the origins of this pandemic is necessary and feasible to achieve. "We must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data. A proper investigation should be transparent, objective, data-driven, inclusive of broad expertise, subject to independent oversight, and responsibly managed to minimize the impact of conflicts of interest," they added.

The US had in March accused China of hampering WHO's investigations into the origin of the virus and demanded that Beijing be more "transparent" and provide access to data and samples.

Meanwhile, the scientists taking note of violence against Asians in the US stated that "it was Chinese doctors, scientists, journalists, and citizens who shared with the world crucial information about the spread of the virus—often at great personal cost. We should show the same determination in promoting a dispassionate science-based discourse on this difficult but important issue."