[Explanation] Where does the new coronavirus come from?

On July 22, the Chinese government held a press conference to introduce the traceability of the new crown virus.

　　[Explanation] At the beginning of 2021, the WHO international expert group came to China to carry out virus traceability work, and on March 30, released the report on the China section of the global traceability study of the new crown virus convened by the WHO.

The joint expert group finally determined several possibilities for the virus to appear.

　　[Concurrent] Zeng Yixin, Deputy Director of the National Health Commission

　　The first type is that the direct overflow of zoonotic diseases is "probable to more likely", and the direct overflow of zoonotic diseases, that is, direct overflow from animal hosts to humans is "probable to more likely".

Then, the introduction through an intermediate host is "more likely to very likely". In layman's terms, the natural host of the virus is a certain animal, and the animal passes through the intermediate host and then transitions to humans. This is "more likely to very likely". This is the second Kind.

The third type is the introduction of cold chains. It was discovered that cold chain transmission may introduce viruses in some sporadic epidemics in various places last year, so it is considered "possible."

The last possibility is that laboratory introduction is "extremely impossible."

　　[Explanation] Experts said that the natural origin of the new crown virus has become a general consensus in the academic community. Many well-known experts have repeatedly published articles on related platforms such as The Lancet, refuting the conspiracy theory of "laboratory leaks" with scientific evidence. .

　　[Concurrent] Yuan Zhiming, Director of Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher of Wuhan Institute of Virology

　　What I want to emphasize here is that, first, before December 30, 2019, Wuhan Institute of Virology had not contacted, preserved, or studied the new coronavirus.

Second, Wuhan Institute of Virology has never designed, manufactured, or leaked the new coronavirus.

Third, the staff and graduate students of Wuhan Institute of Virology have maintained "zero infection" of the new crown virus so far.

　　[Explanation] Talking about China's failure to provide the original data of early-stage COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, Liang Wannian, the Chinese leader of the China-WHO Joint Research Expert Group on the Traceability of New Coronavirus, who had participated in the traceability work, explained that, in fact, during the traceability work in Wuhan, All the members of the Chinese expert group showed the case data, and the expert group conducted analysis and research on the case data.

　　[Concurrent] Liang Wannian, the Chinese leader of the China-WHO Joint Research Expert Group on the Traceability of New Coronavirus

　　Just to protect the privacy of patients, we do not agree to provide original data, nor do we allow them to copy or take photos.

When working at that time, international experts also gave a full understanding and deeply felt that this was an international practice, which is not only the case in China.

　　[Explanation] Zeng Yixin said that the traceability of the new coronavirus is a scientific issue. The Chinese government has always supported scientific traceability of the virus, but opposed the politicization of traceability.

　　[Concurrent] Zeng Yixin, Deputy Director of the National Health Commission

　　We believe that the second phase of virus traceability should be extended on the basis of the first phase of virus traceability. It should be guided by World Health Assembly Resolution 73.1 and carried out after thorough discussion and consultation.

We have already carried out the first phase of virus traceability, especially if we have reached a clear conclusion, we should not repeat it.

On the basis of full and extensive consultations among member states, we should promote early case search, molecular epidemiology, and animal (intermediate) host traceability in multiple countries and regions around the world.

　　Reporter Liu Chao reports from Beijing

Editor in charge: [Li Yuxin]