Data indicates Wuhan lab examining coronavirus was shut down in October
Analysis of phone records indicates a lab in Wuhan studying coronaviruses shut down suddenly shortly before the COVID pandemic erupted.
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A high security laboratory in Wuhan which was studying coronaviruses was closed down just weeks before the deadly pandemic was unleashed.
US and UK intelligence analysts are reviewing mobile phone location data which indicates that the lab was likely shut down in October, NBC reported.
The report shows no mobile phone activity at the Wuhan Institute of Virology between October 7 and October 24, 2019.
The extraordinary revelation almost certainly means that some kind of “hazardous event” occurred which forced the lab to shut down.
If the shutdown can be verified, it would give greater credibility to suggestions that COVID-19 came from the lab. Many scientists, as well as the World Health Organisation, remain skeptical of the lab theory and still believe it came from the wet market in Wuhan.
It’s thought that the virus originated in China around November 17 but researchers are questioning that date since France’s first documented case was in December.
The analysis was based on commercially available mobile phone data.
China has long denied that the virus escaped from a lab.
AUSTRALIA CHASING SUPPORT FOR INQUIRY
Australia is using every available international channel – working quietly behind the scenes and formally – to gather support for an independent review of the origins of COVID-19.
In his letter to G20 leaders this week Prime Minister Scott Morrison outlined two possible mechanisms for an independent inquiry, which could then make recommendations to the World Health Organisation.
One option was to have the independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Emergencies Programme lead the inquiry.
The seven person committee is currently chaired by UK public health expert Dr Felicity Harvey.
Dr Harvey is qualified in medicine, specialising in medical microbiology, and has held many senior public health roles, including four years as director-general of public and international health at the UK Department of Health.
It is understood the Morrison Government sees the committee, lead by Dr Harvey, as effectively purpose built for a review like the COVID-19 inquiry.
The second option put forward by Mr Morrison to G20 leaders was to run a review through the WHO’s International Health Regulations.
The IHR is an agreement between all WHO member nations to build their capacity to detect, assess and report public health events.
Australia is hoping to build a coalition of the willing to support an inquiry, which Mr Morrison has emphasised is about learning the lessons of the outbreak, rather than targeting any one country.
The Government is hoping its upfront approach, including plainly stating its hopes for an inquiry in public, highlights the desire for it to be an open and transparent process.
PM CALLS FOR COVID-19 ORIGIN REVIEW
Mr Morrison called on the world’s most powerful leaders – including China – to support his campaign for an independent review into the origins of the coronavirus.
The Prime Minister wrote to the G20 nations on Monday, ramping up his pitch to hold a review into the COVID-19 response after weeks discussing the idea with individual leaders.
Mr Morrison is seeking support from G20 leaders, including Chinese president Xi JinPing, to ensure the world is better prepared to cope with a future pandemic.
“What’s really important is that we have a proper review, an independent review, which looks into the sources of these things in a transparent way so we can learn the lessons to ensure that were there to be a virus of pandemic potential that would originate anywhere else in the world,” he said.
“That’s what Australia is focused on, and I’ve written to all the G20 leaders to that end.”
Mr Morrison rejected the idea COVID-19 had come from a lab in Wuhan when asked if he agreed with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about “enormous evidence” existing to suggest it was possible.
“We work closely with the United States, and I’ve already made comments on this matter and there’s been no change to the Australian position on this,” he said.
“The most likely (source) has been in a wildlife wet market, and that that wildlife wet market is an important definition of what we’re talking about here.
“There are wet markets and there are wildlife wet markets.
“They’re two different types of things, and that is the most likely outcome.”
CHINA’S VIRUS COVER UP TO SECURE GLOBAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES
There was “significant evidence” China has not only been lying about the origins of coronavirus but delayed reporting its severity as it moved to secure global supplies of medical kit for itself.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said coronavirus came out of a lab in China and not an animal ‘wet market’ as authorities have claimed and while he had no reason to believe it was deliberately spread or was man-made, there was evidence China had a history of substandard labs and actively sought to cover up their mistake.
“There is a significant amount of evidence this came from that laboratory in Wuhan,” he said, identifying the lab as the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
His claim was supported strongly by comments by President Donald Trump and came as an intelligence report found China actively sought to downplay the severity of COVID-19 as it moved rapidly to stockpile the world’s med kits to combat the virus.
According to a US Department of Homeland Security intelligence brief, China “intentionally concealed the severity” so it could secure medical supplies from around the world, which has included airfreight cargo from Australia in the early days of the pandemic.
The four-page intelligence report dated May 1 and marked “for official use only”, said the cover up was “denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data”.
This continued for most of January as it held off reporting the severity and spread to WHO and ramped up overseas orders of masks, gloves and gowns.
According to the report’s assessment, China increased imports of masks by 278 per cent, surgical gowns by 72 per cent and surgical gloves by 32 per cent.
At the same time it slashed its global exports of the same three products by 48 per cent, 71 per and cent and 48 per cent respectively.
It also blocked export of other medical kit including ventilators, the latter by 45 per cent.
They “deliberately hid” the fact, by merging trade figures for January and February.
The report now leaked publicly has been used by the US administration to accuse China of actively playing down the impending crisis before it spread globally.
President Donald Trump said had the danger been made clear sooner more could have been done as he accused both China and Who of failures.
“Intelligence has just reported to me that I was correct, and that they did NOT bring up the coronavirus subject matter until late into January, just prior to my banning China from the US,” Mr Trump wrote without citing specifics.
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“Also, they only spoke of the virus in a very non-threatening, or matter of fact, manner.”
Australia has called for a full investigation into how, when and where the virus spread from China, a call which has been met with aggressive rhetoric from China including its rogue ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye who has threatened boycotts if a push for a probe persists.
The WHO has said it would conduct its own probe but given its own role in delaying a declaration of a global pandemic and constantly praising China for its role in containing the contagion, nations have dismissed the notion as wholly inadequate.
Intelligence has just reported to me that I was correct, and that they did NOT bring up the CoronaVirus subject matter until late into January, just prior to my banning China from the U.S. Also, they only spoke of the Virus in a very non-threatening, or matter of fact, manner...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2020
Mr Trump meanwhile said a coronavirus vaccine could be available by year’s end as he declared the US Government was putting “full power and might” into a drug created to combat ebola.
Mr Trump told a televised town hall style address, sponsored by Fox News, the antiviral remdesivir drug had shown early promise.
“We think we are going to have a vaccine by the end of this year,” he said as he sat inside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC and fielded questions from two Fox hosts and questions posted by the public via social media.
Originally published as Data indicates Wuhan lab examining coronavirus was shut down in October
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