Much is the controversy surrounding the true source of the "Covid-19" virus, a dispute whose borders were not limited within the corridors of social networks, but rather extended to the conflicts we have witnessed at the political levels. On the one hand, a team believes that the virus was developed by genetic engineering in specialized laboratories, and that the purpose of its launch is only a conspiracy to cause economic destruction to certain entities, or seek huge economic gains by raising the money flowing through the sale of vaccines or anti-viral drugs, while it sees Another team that the emergence of this virus is a natural event within what is known as the natural development that leads to the emergence of new viruses transmitted from animals to humans, and there is a third team that believes that the spread occurred as a result of the leakage - intentional or unintended - of this virus from within biological laboratories during the conduct of experiments Science Of it after isolating the animals from one family (the host animal is an animal that is used by the virus to multiply).

From here, we must discuss these hypotheses objectively, without cramping, without fanning the feelings and using the state of the crisis to market rumors or delusions that distract and mislead the reader's thinking, we are, these days in particular, the most urgent need for thinking based on scientific evidence.

Founding is a must

Before discussing the various theories about the emergence of the virus, which we will look at in succession in the report, it is necessary to present a brief background that identifies the virus, as the virus is considered "COVID-19" or it is also known as (SARS-CoV-2) as One of the coronaviruses, this family of viruses is known for its ability to infect mammals and birds with various diseases. To this day, seven viruses of this family that infect humans [1] have been monitored, four of which are endemic viruses, “that is, continuous infection among community members” and cause simple respiratory illnesses in the form of colds or colds (HCoV-OC43) (HCoV- HKU1) (HCoV-NL63) (HCoV-229E), and the other three of them have emerged over the past two decades as outbreaks in specific areas, and are believed to have transmitted to humans from bats through an intermediate host.

The first of these viruses is the SARS-CoV virus, which appeared in 2003 and causes severe respiratory syndrome. It is believed that the “civet cat” is the intermediate host of this virus, and the second of these viruses is the MERS-CoV virus that appeared In 2012, which causes respiratory syndrome in the Middle East, it is believed that the camel is the intermediate host of this virus, and the third of these viruses is the current COVID-19 virus, which started an outbreak in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei Province, and then spread Through travelers to most countries of the world to turn into a global pandemic.

The "Covid-19" virus has a genome (i.e. the genetic chain) consisting of 29,903 letters of RNA and encapsulated by a lipid membrane, and has a group of proteins that help it enter human cells and ensure the reproduction of the virus inside these cells and then exit large numbers of The virus from the infected cell. As for the mechanism of entry of the virus into human cells, the "Covid-19" virus, like any other coronavirus, depends on the spike protein that protrudes from the fatty membrane of the virus and works to bind to a specific protein found on the surfaces of the host's cells. In the case of the "Covid-19" virus A human protein known as ACE2, which plays the role of a receptor for this virus, is found widely on the surface of respiratory cells [2].

Below we will present the different opinions, taking care to address them accurately, and through the available data, and analyze them based on prestigious scientific publications, especially that letter sent by a group of researchers headed by Dr. "Christian Andersen" from the Scripps Research Institute. It was published on March 17 in the journal "3" Nature Medicine.

The first hypothesis: "Covid 19" is a genetically engineered virus

This hypothesis was raised and circulated abundantly through many accounts on various social networking sites, and the case arrived with some to view patents attributed to different research centers to demonstrate that this virus was developed, and that this invention obtained its own patent. The most famous of those videos that have been subjected to European Patent No. "EP1694829B1". When searching for these patents, they were found to be patents actually registered in the various patent offices, which are for corona viruses similar to SARS-CoV that appeared in 2003, or for corona viruses that infect poultry. Hence the most important point, which is that there is no patent for the "Covid-19" virus, and I have verified this through the technology of comparing the genome chains of these viruses published in the patents with the "Covid-19" virus.

What happened here is that some people, after seeing a patent called Corona virus, rushed without realizing that it is the current "Covid-19" virus, especially since most people did not hear of Corona viruses except during the current crisis. The reasoning of these documents is considered a hasty judgment that contradicts scientific accuracy, and it indicates the "superficiality" in reading patent files. Here some may ask: What calls for research institutes or vaccine companies to register patents for corona viruses? The answer is simple: to protect property rights when using these viruses as models for developing vaccines, or to try new anti-retroviral drugs. Here, a question may be raised about the seriousness of this work, and what it can lead to through unexpected results. The truth is that there is a weak possibility for unexpected transformations, but the development of these laboratory viruses is necessary in order to understand and fight their peers from corona viruses.

If we recognize the possibility of developing the "Covid-19" virus through genetic modification, the most convincing scenario is that the one who used the mod has used the genome of the Corona virus already present as a draft (draft) to make genetic modifications to it to give it the current characteristics of "Covid-19". "From a scientific point of view, this modification can be detected by analyzing the" Covid-19 "genome to track specific effects indicating the genetic modification, such as some genetic sections that are used in reverse genetics systems. In a study by Dr. Andersen and his colleagues published in the journal "Nature Medicine" in which researchers studied a genome of the Covid 19 virus with other viruses from the Corona family, the researchers conclude that the "Covid-19" virus was not developed or It is genetically modified, due to the absence of any of the effects of reverse genetics techniques. In addition, the comparison of the "Covid-19" genome shows that its closest peers are SARS-like coronaviruses that are isolated from bats [5] (SARS-like coronaviruses) with the presence of A difference of more than 10%, i.e. more than 3000 characters of the total genome sequence, and it is interesting to note that this brother The numerous variants are completely randomly distributed along the genome, reinforcing the conviction that the hypothesis of deliberate genetic modification is not entirely possible, but rather almost impossible.

The second hypothesis: "Covid-19" arose naturally and transmitted to humans from animals

Among the current scientific data, this hypothesis is considered the most convincing, especially after it was found that there are more than 3000 genetic differences between "Covid-19" and his closest peers from other corona viruses isolated from bats, and it is more likely that these genetic differences have been naturally acquired during Breeding cycles in the bat, or the virus has passed from the bat to another animal (intermediate host) and then to humans.

Moreover, Dr. Andersen and his colleagues have thoroughly analyzed the specific genetic mutations that obtained the Covid-19 cuneiform protein, which is the key to the entry of this virus into human cells by its ability to form multiple points of association with the ACE2 cellular receptor found on surfaces. Family cells, and the researchers concluded that the most likely explanation for these mutations is a natural evolution process that occurred in the animal in a human with a protein-like receptor "ACE2" and then the virus moved from this animal to humans. The researchers presented an alternative scenario based on the hypothesis that the genetic mutation occurred inside The human, This scenario assumes that a first infection occurred in humans before the advent of "Covid-19" in Wuhan and was by an ancestor of the "Covid-19" virus, which had primitive traits and does not have a high ability to bind to the future "ACE2" and does not cause severe symptoms, During his time in this human focus, he was able to acquire genetic mutations to become more able to relate to the future "ACE2", and we may need more research and investigation to examine this scenario, especially since it has not been found to find human isolates from the virus that may indicate the possibility of this primitive form By "Covid-19".

The third hypothesis: "Covid-19" was biologically developed during laboratory experiments

In light of the presence of several laboratories in the world that isolate viruses from the Corona family from different beings, especially bats, in order to study and determine their biological properties, the hypothesis of intentional or unintended virus leakage cannot be completely denied, and this hypothesis requires that an ancestor be isolated "Covid-19" is from an animal in an earlier period, and that the evolution of the virus to a more fierce generation occurred during cycles of intensive breeding in the laboratory, either in human laboratory cells or in an object with a receptor similar to "ACE2", which prompted the virus for a rapid evolution To acquire its current characteristics, and then the virus has leaked. In the study presented by Dr. Andersen and his colleagues he referred to this hypothesis, and considered that the presence of some examples of scientific laboratories that had previously isolated and multiplied Coronavirus-like SARS viruses from bats led some to think about this hypothesis [6]. With the difficulty of conceiving of this amount of genetic mutation within the laboratory, and in the absence of any published evidence, this hypothesis remains weak but cannot be completely denied, and its verification needs to be further research, analysis and transparency by research centers.

In sum, it is considered almost impossible for "Covid-19" to have been genetically engineered and engineered in scientific laboratories, and that it most likely originated from one of his ancestors who came from a host animal, most likely the bat, and that the evolution of this ancestor took place through Natural mutation processes either in an intermediate host or in a human focus prior to the outbreak stage or inside cells or laboratory animals, giving it the opportunity to evolve and improve its ability to bind to the future "ACE2".

At the present time it may be difficult to prove which of these scenarios is most likely to explain this biological mutation that led to the emergence of the virus. There is no doubt that we need more data and evidence and an expanded geographical survey of corona isolates from family animals to understand the mechanism of the emergence of "Covid-19" And here it is necessary to emphasize the necessity of intensifying cooperation and concerted international research efforts to study and follow up the emerging microbes, as "COFED-19" will not be the last coron virus that is transmitted to humanity from animals.

Here, it is necessary to advise on the mechanism of dealing with the massive flow of news and rumors that are transmitted through the communication networks, there is no doubt that the current crisis is difficult, and under psychological pressure it is easy to manipulate and influence people with false ideas or even false rumors or fools, and some of these news be It has negative effects and depicts the issue as if it is a conspiracy that cannot be faced before, and it is better to be careful to follow safety instructions and abide by the decisions to limit movement, the crisis will pass, God willing, but we know that we will determine the value of the final bill for it, and to learn from the experiences of countries that were able to face the crisis Such as China and Korea.