WHO Says Novel Coronavirus Not Manipulated Or Constructed

All available evidence to date suggests that the novel coronavirus triggered by the current pandemic has a normal animal basis and is not an engineered or built virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in a regular condition update on Thursday.

"Many researchers have been able to look at the genomic features of SARS-CoV-2 and have found that evidence does not support that SARS-CoV-2 is a laboratory construct," said the global health watchdog, stressing that if it were a constructed virus, its genomic sequence would show a mix of known elements, but "this is not the case."

The novel coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, was identified at the beginning of January and its genetic sequence was publicly shared on 11-12 January, WHO noted.

According to the United Nations specialist organization, the full genetic sequencing of the novel coronavirus from early human cases and the genomes of several other viruses identified from human cases from China and across the world have indicated that the novel coronavirus has an evolutionary basis in bat communities.

Although the intermediate animal host has not been identified, the WHO said, all available evidence indicated the novel coronavirus has a zoonotic source.

To better understand the source of the outbreak in China, a number of investigations are currently underway or planned. 

Source: Xinhua