Origin of COVID-19: China publishes startling data from Wuhan market

Research led by scientist William J.Liu from the NHC Biosafety Key Laboratory – National Institute of Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). China, is the Chinese research team using viral gene sequences that have been uploaded to the GISAID international database, and then withdrawn.

These gene sequences were decoded by the Chinese CDC from samples at the Huanan seafood market, which China itself suspects is the origin of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan in 2019.

Huanan Seafood Market – Wuhan – Photo: Global Times

The case has been highly controversial because the data retraction – which China says was for an update – came after an international team of Western researchers said they found a link between badgers and badgers. dogs and SARS-CoV-2 genetic material.

According to News Medical, the Chinese study, which has just been officially published in the leading scientific journal Nature , shows that the wildlife in the market is not only badger dogs, but up to 10 stalls selling wild animals. recorded in a total of 678 stalls in the market.

These 10 stalls are located in the Southwest of the West Market, and the Northwest of the East. Trafficked animals include several species of poultry, snakes, badgers, star deer, bamboo rats, rabbits, porcupines, porcupines, giant salamanders, and several species of crocodiles. In which snakes, crocodiles and salamanders are sold alive.

923 environmental samples and 457 animal samples, including dead animals in freezers or refrigerators, stray animals around the area and their droppings, were collected until March 30, 2020.

Of 923 environmental samples in and around the market in Wuhan, up to 73 samples were positive for SASR-CoV-2. Considering the samples in the market alone, 64/828 samples were positive.

In particular, the West Zone of the market, which is one of the places where wildlife is sold, accounts for 74% of the positive samples. Up to 5/14 samples taken from market warehouses were positive.

24 out of 110 samples taken from market sewers or drainage ditches around the market were positive for nucelic acid of SARS-CoV-2.

” The data indicate that the virus can be transmitted in the market through contaminated sewage from infected people or animals, ” the authors wrote in Nature , commenting that the high human traffic in the market could amplified transmission, leading to some of the first outbreaks in the early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak.

On January 22, 2020, health authorities also took 30 environmental samples from another market named Dongxihu in Wuhan, 1 sample was positive.