How did Coronavirus originate is the question on the minds of many? How the Coronavirus, that has now become a global pandemic, originated is a question that many citizens around the world have been asking. Originally, scientists were under the impression that this virus developed in bats, and later pangolins. On 11 February 2020, the World Health Organization dubbed the latest coronavirus disease ‘COVID-19’. The latest coronavirus shares a structure that resembles the SARS virus that broke out in 2008. Although the two viruses about 80 per cent of their genomes in common, COVID-19 is proven to be more deadly and ahead of its time.
Covid-19 originated in China
This Coronavirus that scientists have labeled as SARS-CoV-2, first surfaced last year, from the city of Wuhan, China. Cases of Covid-19 first appeared in December 2019, when a cryptic disease was reported in the city of Wuhan. This disease is presently confirmed to be due to a new type of coronavirus, and the infection unfolded in a variety of nations worldwide.
How did Coronavirus originate: Path of origin
Researchers learning the unfold of the virus diagnose COVID-19’s doubtless origin to a ‘wet market’, or live animal market, in Wuhan, China. With that being said, experts have yet to rule out the likelihood that the pathogen could have been brought to the market by a previously infected person.
In December 2019, 27 of the first 41 people hospitalised (66%) frequented one such ‘wet market’ located in the heart of Wuhan city situated in the Hubei province. But, in accordance with a study conducted at Wuhan Hospital, the very first human case recognised had not visited this market. Later, research papers on the virus show that humans might have contracted this virus through the illicitly trafficked mammals found in China, called pangolins.
Genetic analyses have also shown that the coronavirus hardly underwent any substantial changes since it first showed up in Wuhan.
Safe to say, the exact origins of this virus remain a mystery, although scientists suspect it stems from natural evolution. This virus is continuously being studied and monitored in hopes of finding its origin, which in turn will make creating a vaccine much easier.
Myths
A bunch of theories coming up about this virus has taken over the internet, only to spread more panic among the masses. The main themes of these rumors seem to be fake news concerning the origin of the virus. There are many theories circulating about its origins, most of which have been debunked.
Some politicians in the U.S. and China have each steered that COVID-19 that’s inflicting the pandemic may very well be a bioarm that was factory-made in a research laboratory. China seemed to be under the impression that the USA manufactured this virus and discharged it in China; the USA seems to have the opposite impression. Both these conspiracy theories have been debunked by researchers who have proved that COVID-19 cannot have been manufactured in a lab, and was most likely a product of natural selection.