Despite US-China Tensions, Researchers Unite: "Find the Starting Point of COVID-19"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] American and Chinese researchers have joined forces to trace the initial outbreak route of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). This contrasts with the conflict between the two governments over responsibility for the situation. Based on blood analysis results of pneumonia patients from last winter, these researchers plan to track the initial outbreak process and identify which animal played a mediating role in COVID-19 infection.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to foreign media on the 27th (local time), Professor Ian Lipkin, director of the Infectious Disease and Immunology Center at Columbia University, is collaborating with Professor Lu Zhaohai’s research team at Sun Yat-sen University in China to trace the origin of COVID-19. They are investigating whether there were cases of infection in other regions before COVID-19 patients appeared in Wuhan, China, in December last year.

Professor Lipkin is a virologist who visited China to provide consultation during the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic and the 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak. Also known for advising on the film Contagion, he shocked the public last month by revealing his own COVID-19 infection. Early in the COVID-19 crisis, he visited China and met with Premier Li Keqiang and others to discuss response measures.

According to Professor Lu, this research is being conducted with the support of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Professor Lu explained, "This research started in early February, and results are expected by the end of this year." He emphasized, "Considering that asymptomatic infections account for 30 to 50% of COVID-19 cases, determining where COVID-19 first appeared is very important."

Additionally, the research team is investigating which animal COVID-19 originated from. Professor Lu stated, "We are identifying the transmission route from animals to humans." Earlier, it was suggested that COVID-19 might have been transmitted through pangolins or bats, but neither has been confirmed as the direct infection source. In a paper published in Nature Medicine in March this year, Professor Lipkin explained, "Understanding how COVID-19 was transmitted from animals is the most reliable way to uncover the origin of this disease."

The attention on this US-China joint research stems from the fact that it is being conducted amid sharp conflicts between the two countries over responsibility for the epidemic’s spread. The United States has repeatedly accused China of concealing the initial outbreak and withholding information. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated, "China did not disclose any related information even after reporting the COVID-19 outbreak to the World Health Organization (WHO)," and added, "The world has not even been able to access COVID-19 samples or facilities in Wuhan where the epidemic might have originated."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.