US experts warn about Covid-26 and Covid-32

On May 30, NBC News quoted two leading US infectious disease experts emphasizing that the world needs the cooperation of the Chinese government to find the origin of the Covid-19 epidemic and prevent similar threats in the future.

"Not finding the origin of Covid-19  puts the world at risk of future pandemics. There will be Covid-26 and Covid-32 unless we fully understand the origin of Covid-19," Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, told NBC News.

The expert suggested allowing scientists to conduct a long-term investigation in China, taking blood samples from humans and animals. Accordingly, the US should put pressure on China, including the threat of sanctions, to get Beijing to allow the investigation.

A seafood market in Wuhan city, where the Covid-19 outbreak is believed to have originated. (Photo: Bloomberg)

The second American expert, the commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), currently on the board of directors of Pfizer, Scott Gottlieb, added: "Information proving the hypothesis that the SARS-CoV-2 virus leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan City, China, is growing. China has not provided evidence to refute that hypothesis and the investigation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading through wildlife has not yielded results."

Nearly a year and a half since the first case of Covid-19 was detected in China, the exact origin of the Covid-19 epidemic remains unclear . Scientists theorize that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may have spread from wild animals to humans. Another theory is that the virus may have accidentally escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan.

In a surprise announcement mid-week, US President Joe Biden called for a new investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic after US intelligence released conflicting assessments. He ordered agencies to report back in 90 days.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded that Mr Biden's request was "discriminatory, politically manipulative and shifting blame".

On May 23, The Wall Street Journal reported that "three researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology were hospitalized with symptoms similar to Covid-19 in November 2019" . However, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said all hypotheses "remain on the table".