Staff at Wuhan Red Cross Hospital in February 2020.Photo: STR/AFP via GettyAt a press conference on Tuesday,World Health Organization’s Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, an expert on food safety and animal diseases, said that it was “extremely unlikely” that COVID-19 came from a lab in Wuhan, China, the citywhere the virus was first reported.“Initial findings suggest that the introduction through an intermediary host species is the most likely pathway and one that will require more studies and more specific targeted research,” he said, according toNBC News.Embarek also said that research thus far showed “a natural reservoir” in bats when it came to studying the origins of the virus, but that likely didn’t happen in Wuhan, theBBCreports. He added that the rumor about the virus coming from a lab was “not in the hypotheses that we will suggest for future studies.“Also present at the conference wasChina National Health Commissionexpert Liang Wannian, who said early data points to the possibility that the virus had been spreading for weeks before the first case was actually diagnosed in Wuhan.“This indicates the possibility of the missed reported circulation in other regions,” Liang said, adding that there was also no evidence of the virus circulating in Wuhan before December 2019, when the first case was reported, according to NBC News.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, WHO.HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via GettyThe BBC reports that officials said the virus could have spread tohumans from animals, including batsand pangolins — and/or through imported frozen foods — but there is still research to be done in that arena.Firefighters prepare to conduct disinfection at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in April 2020.GettyRELATED VIDEO: Why I’m Getting Vaccinated:Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and More Stars on Stopping the Spread of COVID-19USA Todayreports that findings have come from WHO team members from 10 different countries who have spent several weeks in Wuhan in search of answers, from visiting a wildlife market linked to the outbreak, plus research facilities and hospitals.Embarek said at Tuesday’s conference that while he doesn’t believe his team “change(d) dramatically the picture we had beforehand,” they “improved(d) [their] understanding” and “add(ed) details to that picture.“As nations around the globe continue to strive to distribute vaccines, afaster-spreading COVID strain first found in the U.K.— the B.1.1.7 strain —is now moving rapidlythrough the U.S.,a new study found, and will be the dominant strain “in a matter of weeks.“However, both Pfizer and Moderna have said thattheir vaccines are effective against the B.1.1.7 strain, and that they can manufacture a booster shot if needed.As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources fromCDC,WHO, andlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
Staff at Wuhan Red Cross Hospital in February 2020.Photo: STR/AFP via Getty
At a press conference on Tuesday,World Health Organization’s Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, an expert on food safety and animal diseases, said that it was “extremely unlikely” that COVID-19 came from a lab in Wuhan, China, the citywhere the virus was first reported.“Initial findings suggest that the introduction through an intermediary host species is the most likely pathway and one that will require more studies and more specific targeted research,” he said, according toNBC News.Embarek also said that research thus far showed “a natural reservoir” in bats when it came to studying the origins of the virus, but that likely didn’t happen in Wuhan, theBBCreports. He added that the rumor about the virus coming from a lab was “not in the hypotheses that we will suggest for future studies.“Also present at the conference wasChina National Health Commissionexpert Liang Wannian, who said early data points to the possibility that the virus had been spreading for weeks before the first case was actually diagnosed in Wuhan.“This indicates the possibility of the missed reported circulation in other regions,” Liang said, adding that there was also no evidence of the virus circulating in Wuhan before December 2019, when the first case was reported, according to NBC News.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, WHO.HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via GettyThe BBC reports that officials said the virus could have spread tohumans from animals, including batsand pangolins — and/or through imported frozen foods — but there is still research to be done in that arena.Firefighters prepare to conduct disinfection at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in April 2020.GettyRELATED VIDEO: Why I’m Getting Vaccinated:Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and More Stars on Stopping the Spread of COVID-19USA Todayreports that findings have come from WHO team members from 10 different countries who have spent several weeks in Wuhan in search of answers, from visiting a wildlife market linked to the outbreak, plus research facilities and hospitals.Embarek said at Tuesday’s conference that while he doesn’t believe his team “change(d) dramatically the picture we had beforehand,” they “improved(d) [their] understanding” and “add(ed) details to that picture.“As nations around the globe continue to strive to distribute vaccines, afaster-spreading COVID strain first found in the U.K.— the B.1.1.7 strain —is now moving rapidlythrough the U.S.,a new study found, and will be the dominant strain “in a matter of weeks.“However, both Pfizer and Moderna have said thattheir vaccines are effective against the B.1.1.7 strain, and that they can manufacture a booster shot if needed.As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources fromCDC,WHO, andlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
At a press conference on Tuesday,World Health Organization’s Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, an expert on food safety and animal diseases, said that it was “extremely unlikely” that COVID-19 came from a lab in Wuhan, China, the citywhere the virus was first reported.
“Initial findings suggest that the introduction through an intermediary host species is the most likely pathway and one that will require more studies and more specific targeted research,” he said, according toNBC News.
Embarek also said that research thus far showed “a natural reservoir” in bats when it came to studying the origins of the virus, but that likely didn’t happen in Wuhan, theBBCreports. He added that the rumor about the virus coming from a lab was “not in the hypotheses that we will suggest for future studies.”
Also present at the conference wasChina National Health Commissionexpert Liang Wannian, who said early data points to the possibility that the virus had been spreading for weeks before the first case was actually diagnosed in Wuhan.
“This indicates the possibility of the missed reported circulation in other regions,” Liang said, adding that there was also no evidence of the virus circulating in Wuhan before December 2019, when the first case was reported, according to NBC News.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, WHO.HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty
The BBC reports that officials said the virus could have spread tohumans from animals, including batsand pangolins — and/or through imported frozen foods — but there is still research to be done in that arena.
Firefighters prepare to conduct disinfection at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in April 2020.Getty
RELATED VIDEO: Why I’m Getting Vaccinated:Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and More Stars on Stopping the Spread of COVID-19
USA Todayreports that findings have come from WHO team members from 10 different countries who have spent several weeks in Wuhan in search of answers, from visiting a wildlife market linked to the outbreak, plus research facilities and hospitals.
Embarek said at Tuesday’s conference that while he doesn’t believe his team “change(d) dramatically the picture we had beforehand,” they “improved(d) [their] understanding” and “add(ed) details to that picture.”
As nations around the globe continue to strive to distribute vaccines, afaster-spreading COVID strain first found in the U.K.— the B.1.1.7 strain —is now moving rapidlythrough the U.S.,a new study found, and will be the dominant strain “in a matter of weeks.”
However, both Pfizer and Moderna have said thattheir vaccines are effective against the B.1.1.7 strain, and that they can manufacture a booster shot if needed.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources fromCDC,WHO, andlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
