Published 11:46 IST, March 13th 2020
'Coronavirus is a bio-weapon': Congress' Manish Tewari supports popular theory claim
In a warped claim, Congress' Manish Tewari alleged that the Coronavirus which has claimed over 4000 lives is actually a "bio-weapon that went rogue."
In a warped claim, Congress' Manish Tewari alleged that the Coronavirus which has claimed over 4000 lives is actually a "bio-weapon that went rogue." Amidst multiple theories floating around the novel virus which is said to have originated from Wuhan's seafood market, some suggest that the epidemic was actually "a failed attempt" of developing a weapon for biological warfare that "went out of control."
This theory is backed by its "asymptomatic symptoms" which hit the individual out of the blue, days after he has come in contact with the virus. Manish Tewari seemed to follow one of these popular theories and stated that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) should issue an investigation into the matter.
A bio-weapon?
Most scientists have suggested that the virus originated from the 'wet' seafood market in Wuhan which sells both live and dead animal stocks including exotic wildlife like bats, crocodiles, pigeons, and snakes. Most reports suggest that the culprit is bat meat. However, certain Iranian, Russian, and Chinese propaganda media outlets have come up with theories suggesting that the public health crisis is a "U.S. biological weapon."
The reason being that Iran, its arch-nemesis has been hit particularly hard recording over 10,000 cases leading it to ask for an emergency 5 billion US dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund, its first after the 1960s.
There are also concerns that the number of infections across Iran is much higher than the confirmed cases reported by the government. It is important to remember that Iran's economy has already been battered by US sanctions, which have choked Tehran's ability to sell its oil. The recent outbreak of the virus there has compounded its economic woes.
However, whatever the truth may be, it hasn't stopped people from engaging in mindless conspiracies straight out of science-fiction novels. In fact, people have dug up a book written in the 1980s by author Sylvia Browne which seems to have "predicted" the outbreak of Coronavirus. In her book titled End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies, the author has mentioned a virus that is very similar to COVID-19 which will hit the world in 2020 spreading ‘a severe pneumonia-like illness throughout the globe’. Fact or fiction?
Updated 11:46 IST, March 13th 2020