Published 20:55 IST, January 17th 2021
US claims Coronavirus infected Wuhan lab staff experimenting for PRC military
“Wuhan Institute of Virology has not been transparent nor consistent about its work with 'RaTG13' or other similar viruses," the US state department alleged.
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As the WHO-led investigating team conducts research about the origin of coronavirus in Wuhan, the US Department of State on January 16 claimed that the researchers at a Wuhan lab got ill with COVID-19-like symptoms in autumn 2019 as they were experimenting with a virus genetically similar to SARS-CoV-2. In an official statement released by the US Dept. of State, the US intelligence stated that several researchers inside the Wuhan Institute of Virology, including the WIV’s staff and students were infected with SARS-CoV-2 like virus infection while they were studying RaTG13, a bat coronavirus identified by the Wuhan lab in January 2020, which is 96.2 percent similar to coronavirus.
While the Chinese Communist Party lied about and hid the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, the Trump Administration led the world in publicly calling for transparency and denounced the cover-up. #ChinaLiedPeopleDied pic.twitter.com/7YkSmKb6dY
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 16, 2021
“Wuhan Institute of Virology has not been transparent nor consistent about its work with RaTG13 or other similar viruses, including possible ‘gain of function’ experiments to enhance transmissibility or lethality,” a statement from the US Department of State read. It added, “Despite the Wuhan’s institute presenting itself as a civilian institution, it has collaborated on publications and secret projects with China’s military and has engaged in classified research, including laboratory animal experiments, on behalf of the Chinese military forces since at least 2017.” The US categorically denied Wuhan Institute’s senior researcher Shi Zhengli’s public claims that there was “zero infection” among the lab workers. the report asserted, that the laboratory accident was made to resemble a natural outbreak after the initial human exposure.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said a statement: “Beijing continues today to withhold vital information that scientists need to protect the world from this deadly virus, and the next one.”
China tried to 'cover-up'
Further condemning China for trying to “cover-up” the outbreak, US State Dept. said: “Any responsible country would have invited world health investigators to Wuhan within days of an outbreak. China instead refused offers of help, including from the United States, but China instead arrested doctors, scientists, and journalists who tried to alert the world to the dangers of coronavirus.” Furthermore, the US alleged that Beijing continues to withhold vital information, even today. In the report, the authorities insisted that the US still needed access to the samples, lab records, personnel working in the lab, eyewitnesses, and whistleblowers to ensure the credibility of the WHO’s final report.
20:55 IST, January 17th 2021