Researchers with the Chinese government have now isolated more than 2,000 new viruses, just less than three miles from the wild animal market that first became known as the epicenter of the COVID-19 spread. And 'deadly bat coronavirus' is just one of the new viruses discovered...
The exact origin of the coronavirus still remains a mystery, but researchers in China have been capturing bats and storing them in vials in order to find out. Tian Junhua, a leader in bat virus work, has been leading the team of researchers in Wuhan since the outbreak began.
Junhua currently works at the CDC in Wuhan, for the office of decontamination and biological disease vector prevention and control. But some are worried that he is not the person who should be leading the virus research...
“I am not a doctor, but I work to cure and save people,” Junhua said. “I am not a soldier, but I work to safeguard an invisible national defense line.”
He has also gathered new viruses from ticks, mice and wasps, but says focusing on the bats will better help us understand how the virus specifically affects us as humans.
“Bats have a large number of unknown viruses on their bodies,” he said. “The more thorough our research on bats is, the better it will be for human health.”
But now, Chinese doctors and U.S. officials are demanding that research be released from the Wuhan lab in order to confirm all of the correct precautions are being taken to stop the spread. According to Steven W. Mosher, a China specialist with the Population Research Institute, this research could be especially harmful to humans.
“China claims that the deadly virus did not escape from its biolab,” Mr. Mosher said. “Fine. Prove it by releasing the research records of the Wuhan lab.”
Check out the full report on The Washington Times.