This
study titled
A SARS-like cluster of circulating bat coronaviruses shows potential for human emergence was published Nov 9, 2015, to
"examine the emergence potential (that is, the potential to infect humans) of circulating bat CoVs..". The purpose of the study in a nutshell is to identify possible new pathogens as a result of cross-species transmission, since SARS, MERS and other pathogens have had large impact on humans causing illness, death and economic disruption, with the intent to
"identify and prepare for future prepandemic viruses". So to be clear these scientists did this study for the good of people, nothing nefarious is going on.
Okay, now they* engineered a bug....
"Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV underscores the threat of cross-species transmission events leading to outbreaks in humans. Here we examine the disease potential of a SARS-like virus, SHC014-CoV, which is currently circulating in Chinese horseshoe bat populations1. Using the SARS-CoV reverse genetics system2, we generated and characterized a chimeric virus expressing the spike of bat coronavirus SHC014 in a mouse-adapted SARS-CoV backbone. The results indicate that group 2b viruses encoding the SHC014 spike in a wild-type backbone can efficiently use multiple orthologs of the SARS receptor human angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2), replicate efficiently in primary human airway cells and achieve in vitro titers equivalent to epidemic strains of SARS-CoV. Additionally, in vivo experiments demonstrate replication of the chimeric virus in mouse lung with notable pathogenesis. Evaluation of available SARS-based immune-therapeutic and prophylactic modalities revealed poor efficacy; both monoclonal antibody and vaccine approaches failed to neutralize and protect from infection with CoVs using the novel spike protein. On the basis of these findings, we synthetically re-derived an infectious full-length SHC014 recombinant virus and demonstrate robust viral replication both in vitro and in vivo. Our work suggests a potential risk of SARS-CoV re-emergence from viruses currently circulating in bat populations.
Main
The emergence of SARS-CoV heralded a new era in the cross-species transmission of severe respiratory illness with globalization leading to rapid spread around the world and massive economic impact3,4. Since then, several strains—including influenza A strains H5N1, H1N1 and H7N9 and MERS-CoV—have emerged from animal populations, causing considerable disease, mortality and economic hardship for the afflicted regions5. Although public health measures were able to stop the SARS-CoV outbreak4, recent metagenomics studies have identified sequences of closely related SARS-like viruses circulating in Chinese bat populations that may pose a future threat1,6. However, sequence data alone provides minimal insights to identify and prepare for future prepandemic viruses. Therefore, to examine the emergence potential (that is, the potential to infect humans) of circulating bat CoVs, we built a chimeric virus encoding a novel, zoonotic CoV spike protein—from the RsSHC014-CoV sequence that was isolated from Chinese horseshoe bats1—in the context of the SARS-CoV mouse-adapted backbone. The hybrid virus allowed us to evaluate the ability of the novel spike protein to cause disease independently of other necessary adaptive mutations in its natural backbone. Using this approach, we characterized CoV infection mediated by the SHC014 spike protein in primary human airway cells and in vivo, and tested the efficacy of available immune therapeutics against SHC014-CoV. Together, the strategy translates metagenomics data to help predict and prepare for future emergent viruses."
....so the question is did the hybrid bug, multiple labs
* were working on (including Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China), get loose and is that bug COVID-19??
FACT: We have a novel virus on the loose at pandemic level, and it started in the province where a BL4 lab is located which was involved in the study of novel CoV virus!
To be clear labs in the US and Switzerland were involved in this study too, so do what you will with the information. But, it should now make sense why the Chinese are pointing the finger back at the US govt for causing the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is legit, we just need to know where the bug came from and is it in fact the hybrid or something new!?
No conclusions are being made here. This site is sharing this study out in its entirety (below) because other sites will do it too putting a conspiracy spin on it with excerpts that suit their needs vs all the text you're getting here. It would be nice if someone of authority could address this before the wrong people spread misinformation, raising the already crazed level of hysteria that is causing people to stock up on everything from bottled water to toilet paper!
Everyone is going to get this virus, some may have already had it and don't know they did thinking it's general flu. Those who have pre-existing health conditions are at a higher risk, especially elderly with health problems. This is not the
Walking Dead virus, or the
Andromeda Strain, relax we'll be okay. Just wash your hands, cover up when you cough and sneeze, clean surfaces and frequently used items that can get contaminated (handbags/backpacks, smartphones, tablets, remote controls, game controllers, handrails, doorknobs etc). We should be doing this anyway!
* This list was taken from the footnotes of page 1 to give you an idea of the number of labs that were involved:
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
- National Center for Toxicological Research, Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA.
-
Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
- Cystic Fibrosis Center, Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona Institute of Microbiology, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
