Dr Fauci now 'not convinced' COVID-19 developed naturally; calls for origin to be probed

As questions continue to be raised over origins of COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Medical Advisor to US President Dr Anthony Fauci has w surprisingly joined chorus of demanding a deeper probe into wher SARS-CoV-2, virus which causes COVID-19, was developed in a lab in China. Fauci, who is America's top infectious diseases expert, has downplayed probe conducted by World Health Organisation (WHO) and called for investigation to unfold reality behind what was happening in China. Interestingly, Dr Fauci had earlier shunned argument that SARS-CoV-2 virus was genetically developed in a lab and had escaped by mistake, terming it just as one of plenty or ories. 

Fauci's call to continue probe into origins of deadly virus come at a time when a report by Republicans' House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has suggested that Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) had been studying virus sample, closest to SARS-CoV-2 virus since 2016 nad had been conducting several dangerous experiments. same report also raises questions about NIAID, headed by Dr Fauci, in funding research at Wuhan lab.

't convinced that COVID developed naturally': Fauci

In a recent interview with PolitiFact, Dr Fauci discredits ory that SARS-CoV-2 has developed naturally and that it made a jump from bats to humans in a wet market, as claimed. top medical expert said that he is t convinced with claims and that investigation in China should continue. Maintaining that tion that Coronavirus emerged from an animal reservoir is a popular one, Fauci in interview that was aired on May 12, has said that he is 'personally in favour' of any investigation that looks into origins of virus. 

On being asked if he believes that COVID-19 had developed naturally, Dr Fauci said, "I am t convinced. I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we find out what happened to best of our ability.  Certainly, people who have investigated it have said that it emerged from an animal reservoir, that n infected individuals but it could have been something else. We need to find that out. I am personally in favour of any investigation that looks into origin of virus." 

In same interview, Dr Fauci also downplays questions raised over NIAID's funding of research on Coronaviruses in China. Attempting to sway off accusations laid, Dr Fauci argued that research was necessary as world had just escaped a pandemic fortunately after SARS-CoV-1 was identified in China. Adding that it was SARS-coV-1 that fuelled idea to fund research, Fauci maintained that argument that he and NIAID were involved in creating virus is 'ridiculous'. 

Pertinently, WHO team composed of 17 international experts concluded its probe into origins of COVID-19 after a four-week visit to China earlier this year. In its report, WHO team said that it was “extremely unlikely” COVID-19 sprang from a lab leak. Moreover, WHO delegation said that it was 'likely to very likely' that virus was introduced among humans through an intermediate host, and that it was 'possible-to-likely' that virus was transmitted to humans from animals.

Fauci takes a u-turn 

Shortly before Dr Fauci himself became embroiled as a potential player in debate over possible origins of COVID-19, in March, in response to views of former US-CDC director Robert Redfield (a Trump appointee) who espoused idea that virus was created in a lab and n escaped possibly by mistake, Fauci had said that it was only one of several ories.

As per reports, Dr Fauci analysed lab-escape ory being founded on finding that COVID-19 virus was already well adapted to infecting humans when it was first identified in earnest in late December 2019. However, he argued that by that time virus had already actually been in circulation for a number of weeks and this was plenty of time to adapt itself for humans.

US Republican report sheds light on new aspects 

21-p unclassified report by Republicans' House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence speaks in detail about dangerous experiments being conducted at Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) since 2016, warnings of which had been relayed by US envoys in China. report also questions role of an American institute (NIAID) headed by top medical expert Dr. Anthony Fauci which allegedly funded labs in Wuhan to carry out research on Coronaviruses. 

committee, which has been examining growing threat to America posed by CCP and Chinese PLA, accuses Chinese authorities of undermining investigation into origins of COVID-19. Giving a brief timeline of events, Republican report has claimed that Wuhan Institute of Virology researchers had been conducting experiments since 2016 which involved RaTG13, bat coronavirus identified by WIV in January 2020 as closest sample to SARS-CoV-2 virus.