A leading Chinese virologist whose mysterious disappearance sparked speculation about the deadly novel coronavirus emanating from a bio-lab in Wuhan, was for the first time interviewed on China’s state television where she warned that such viruses are just the “tip of the iceberg” and expressed regret over science being “politicised”.
She said she will continue with her research as there are many types of bats and other wild animals in nature (which could potentially be the carriers of many viruses).
“The viruses that we have discovered are actually just the tip of the iceberg. If we want to protect humans from the outbreak of new infectious diseases, we must take the initiative to learn about these unknown viruses carried by wild animals and give early warnings,” she said.
In an apparent reference to allegations that the virus has emanated from the lab, she said, “I think that science has been politicised. It’s very regrettable. I believe scientists from around the world don’t want to see this. As I mentioned before, the researches on infectious diseases must be open and transparent.”
Separately, a Chinese official raised questions about the virus emerging from the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan.
“At first, we assumed the seafood market might have the virus, but now the market is more like a victim. The novel coronavirus had existed long before,” Gao Fu, director of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.