Even though researchers now know a lot about the infection routes or late effects of a COVID-19 infection, one thing is still not clear: the origin of the virus. An American researcher, however, has now finally identified.
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Covid-19 is said to be of natural origin
After long speculation that patient zero was a laboratory worker, new evidence rather suggests that the virus was transmitted naturally from animals to humans.
According to the study results by Michael Worobey, a saleswoman dealing in seafood is said to have been the first person in the world to be infected with the virus.
Incorrect chronology: Infected accountant is not Patient Zero
According to the report, an accountant who had already complained of corresponding symptoms in mid-December 2019 is not patient zero, as previously assumed. In the accountant's case, it was mainly dental complaints that led to bouts of fever. The pre-supposed patient zero had complained of problems on 16 December, whereas the saleswoman had complained five days earlier.
After Worobey compares data from studies with those from hospitals and also includes video interviews in his research, it seems clear that the World Health Organisation (WHO) must have made a mistake in the chronology of events. The biologist writes:
His illness came after several cases among staff from the market. In this city of eleven million people, half of the early cases are associated with a place the size of a football field. It becomes very difficult to explain this pattern if the outbreak did not start in the market.
Further research must now clarify to what extent Worobey's thesis is really tenable. But one thing is already certain: no one needs to rely on help from the Chinese government. For some time now, the Chinese government has been refusing to help find the cause of the outbreak.
