New Study Supports COVID-19 Animal Origin Theory in Wuhan Market, Highlights Lineage A and B

Sep 19, 2024, 05:31 PM

A new study published in Cell provides evidence supporting the theory that the COVID-19 pandemic originated from infected animals at a market in Wuhan, China. The paper, authored by Crits-Christoph et al., offers genetic tracing of market wildlife and viruses, suggesting that humans first contracted the virus from animals in late 2019. The study refutes earlier claims by the same authors, including Proximal Origin authors, in a 2022 Science paper, arguing that the pandemic most likely started with Lineage A, although early market cases were identified as Lineage B. The analysis includes raccoon dog DNA found at the Huanan market, contributing to the understanding of the virus's origins. The paper was co-authored by Kristian Anderson.