The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have ended. The number of acute cases has substantially decreased, and our lives have gradually returned to normal—despite warnings of a potential new pandemic waiting on the horizon.
However, after four years, we still don’t know how the virus found its way to humans. Even without clear answers, there may be lessons we can draw from questioning how we ended up in a global pandemic.
There are currently two prevalent theories: One involves natural origins, and the other involves lab derivation.
While analysis based on current medicine and scientific theories is essential, revisiting some historical, traditional views on pandemics may also be beneficial in gaining a more holistic picture.
An Unprecedented Virus
The COVID-19 virus’s unprecedented features—pathogenicity and transmissibility—are beyond what any virologist or doctor has previously encountered.The original Wuhan COVID-19 virus could spread widely throughout the body, starting in the lungs and affecting various vital organs, including the brain, heart, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines.
Other viruses, such as the SARS virus, can also affect multiple organs, though not as
broadly or severely as COVID-19. Most SARS complications have been self-limiting or reversible, although serious illness can sometimes result. In contrast, lethal complications such as heart failure, acute cardiac injury, and pulmonary embolism have been more commonly reported in COVID-19 patients.
The flu virus infects far fewer organs and is much less severe than the original Wuhan COVID-19 virus.COVID-19 can attack almost every part of the body due to several key factors:
- ACE2 receptor binding: The virus has used its key—or spike protein—to bind to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, which is the gatekeeper of our cells, allowing the virus entrance.
- Inflammation and cytokine storm: Once inside, the spike protein triggers inflammation, which can cause an extreme immune response (cytokine storm) that can lead to multiple organ failure.
- Blood vessel damage: The spike protein can damage blood vessels, causing blood clots in vital organs that can lead to severe complications such as heart attack, stroke, and sudden death.
1. Natural Origin Theory
One of the major proposed causes of COVID-19 is rooted in a natural origin.
The virus can’t survive outside of a living organism—coronaviruses that cause severe diseases in humans usually have a natural reservoir, which is often bats. These reservoirs allow the virus to persist in nature and occasionally jump to humans or other animals, leading to outbreaks.
However, before they can cause disease in humans, they also need an intermediate host. For example, the intermediate hosts of
SARS and MERS are civets and camels, respectively.
For COVID-19, however, there are two key reasons why many challenge the possibility of natural origin.
No Confirmed Natural Host
Despite extensive investigative efforts, no animals have been confirmed as the natural host of COVID-19.Peter Daszak’s
publication indicates that the COVID-19 virus was not found in pangolins (scale-covered mammals) in the wild or in trade markets. Hence, they are unlikely to be the intermediate host of the COVID-19 virus. Furthermore, pangolins live remotely from humans and are unlikely to serve as intermediate hosts.
Uncommon animals traded at the
Huanan Seafood Market, where most of the initial human cases were centered around, were
initially assumed to be potential hosts of the virus. Some environmental swab samples from the market tested positive. However, no samples collected from those animals were found to carry the virus.
Unlike SARS and MERS, no animals have been confirmed as the natural host of the COVID-19 virus, despite extensive investigative efforts. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock
Furthermore, the so-called “patient zero” and
one-third to
half of the first batch of reported patients had no exposure to the Huanan Seafood Market. This fact suggests that the virus may have circulated in the community before being detected at the market.
Looking back, Jesse D. Bloom from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center identified a deleted dataset containing COVID-19 virus sequences from even earlier Wuhan epidemic patients, which he
recovered from the National Institutes of Health’s archived database. Bloom conducted a genomic analysis, reaffirming that the Huanan Seafood Market was not the initial source of the virus outbreak.
Even though the virus’s spike protein can infect
ferrets and cats, there is no convincing epidemiological or genomic evidence that these animals contributed to the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Unique Features Defy Odds
All coronaviruses have a spiky crown composed of spike proteins. The spike protein is divided into two parts: S1 and S2.
- S1 is the binding component analogous to the biting of a door key, which inserts into the lock. It allows for the virus to attach to host cells.
- S2 acts as the key’s base, or bow, supporting S1 and facilitating the unlocking process.
The “keys” of the COVID-19 virus—specifically, its spike protein—c
an be inserted into the lock via ACE2 receptors in our bodies more easily and quickly than other close relatives. This contributes to its high transmissibility and widespread impact.
After the COVID-19 virus initially attaches to the ACE2 receptor, a
“scissor” enzyme called FURIN in the human body cuts between the S1 and S2 of the spike protein. This cleavage allows the virus to bind to ACE2 more seamlessly. The S2 subunit then fuses with the human cell membrane, stabilizing the binding of the S1 subunit with ACE2.
Scissors function like keys with sawtooth patterns that fit perfectly into locks. Strikingly, the COVID-19 virus has precisely the required human scissor-cut point—12 additional nucleotides—in the location between the S1 and S2 subunits of its spike protein. This insertion is perfectly positioned for human enzymes to cleave the spike protein efficiently, which helps the virus enter human cells.
Among the betacoronavirus family, only the COVID-19 virus has the unique FURIN cleavage sequence. Illustratioin by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock
“SARS-CoV-2 is the only one of more than 800 known SARS-related coronaviruses that possesses an FCS [FURIN cleavage site],” stated Richard H. Ebright, Board of Governors professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Rutgers University, during a
June 18 congressional hearing.
“Mathematically, this finding—by itself—implies that the probability of encountering a natural SARS-related coronavirus possessing an FCS is less than one in 800,” he added.
Other unique genetic codes of the COVID-19 virus have further reduced the odds of natural evolution.
“Based on these features,” the probability of it having naturally evolved from its natural ancestor virus is “
less than one in 1.2 billion,” according to Dr. Steven Quay, a former faculty member at Stanford University School of Medicine, who testified at the hearing, supported by his
analytical report. This number is roughly calculated based on the phylogenetic tree theory. Even the genes of its closest relative virus, RaTG13—claimed to be the ancestor of COVID-19 by virologists from Wuhan—are only
96 percent identical to the COVID-19 virus, with more than 1,000 nucleotide differences.
According to molecular clock theory, it would take a long time—potentially several hundred thousand years—for the virus RaTG13 to naturally evolve into COVID-19, and there is no evidence to support such a lengthy evolutionary period. Consequently, scientists do not convincingly regard RaTG13 as the ancestor virus of COVID-19.
Simply put, based on current scientific theories, virologists cannot identify a reasonable ancestor virus for the COVID-19 virus. Nevertheless, there is some debate over these calculations, and not all experts rule out natural evolution.
Meanwhile, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) was located in the same city where the COVID-19 pandemic originated. WIV has a long history of researching bat-related coronaviruses and SARS-like viruses. The institute has also done significant gain-of-function (GOF) research, which involves enhancing a virus’s functions.
The WIV naturally drew the world’s attention and became the focal point of the origin debate for the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Lab Origin Theory
Before we delve into lab origin, we should make one thing clear: Whether the COVID-19 virus came from the Wuhan lab
or not, the lab’s history of risky and unethical research—which operates under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—is a root problem that needs to be dealt with.
The COVID-19 outbreak originated in a city where the world’s most advanced laboratory research on SARS-like viruses has been conducted. This is the main reason the lab-origin scenario was considered.
Risky Research
In the Wuhan lab, virologists have used bat coronaviruses to manipulate SARS-like viruses for at least a decade.In 2010, for the first time, Wuhan virologists discovered that coronaviruses use the
spike protein as a key to bind to ACE2 receptors, which are widely distributed on the surface of the cells of the body’s vital organs.
In 2015, they edited the genes of natural viruses and engineered a new
SARS-like virus that can infect human cells and jump from animals to humans.
A leaked
NIH report reported that WIV created novel SARS-like viruses that can reproduce up to 10,000 times more copies of the original virus in genetically engineered mice expressing human ACE2 receptors, mimicking the human infection.
Apart from the naturally occurring bat virus (WIV1), the other coronaviruses found to bind to human ACE2 receptors are the SARS virus, COVID-19 virus, and the purported four created by the WIV through GOF studies—the three viruses mentioned in the above leaked NIH report and the SHC014-MA15 virus reported in the 2015 Nature Medicine study.
In 2021,
The Intercept released a leaked
research proposal called DEFUSE, submitted in 2018. This proposal contained a gain-of-function research plan to insert the specific cleavage site—FURIN—into the virus genes.
Though the viruses engineered by WIV have not been proven to be the same as those of COVID-19 viruses, WIV intends to alter and enhance the functions of bat coronaviruses.
Some argue that research conducted by WIV was done to better understand natural coronaviruses and their transmission with no surreptitious motives.
Eventful Period: October Through November 2019
CCP reported that the first case of COVID-19 occurred on Dec. 1, 2019, with the Wuhan Huanan Seafood Market as ground zero.
Multiple investigative reports have revealed that a severe, mysterious infection had already silently emerged in Wuhan at least two months before.
1. A group of U.S. scientific researchers, mainly from the University of California San Diego, examined the genomic data from the first cases of COVID-19 and used a scientific model to determine when the virus started infecting people. Their
study suggests infection began in Hubei Province, China, between mid-October and mid-November 2019.
It should be noted that this and other genomic studies were retrospective and can’t definitively confirm transmission, although these findings point to the possibility.
2. According to the China surveillance data of Wuhan influenza-like-illness (ILI) presented to the World Health Organization (WHO), a
steep increase (Fig. 1) appeared in the last week of November 2019 (Nov. 24–30), rapidly exceeding the trend across 2016–2018.
If that week’s ILI cases were caused by COVID-19 infection, considering an incubation period of two to 14 days, the infection-occurring period would fall into the week of Nov. 16 or earlier—the same time frame as reported by the above-mentioned U.S. genomic study report.
Moreover, the WHO report also highlighted an unexplained increase (Fig. 2C) in lab test-negative ILI cases in Wuhan in mid-November 2019. Meanwhile, a 2022 published
study indicates that those influenza-negative ILI cases may have served as potential COVID-19 transmission.
3. Diplomats stationed at the U.S. Consulate General in Wuhan attested
valuable first-hand experience of an unusual, mysterious outbreak in Wuhan in October 2019. Subsequently, U.S. personnel decamped from China.
The deputy consular chief at the U.S. Consulate in China, Russell J. Westergard,
later wrote in State Magazine:
“By mid-October 2019, the dedicated team at the U.S. Consulate General in Wuhan knew that the city had been struck by what was thought to be an unusually vicious flu season. The disease worsened in November. When city officials began to close public schools in mid-December to control the spread of the disease, the team passed the word to Embassy Beijing and continued monitoring.”
4. A
surveillance report on sewage by the Italian Department of Environment, Health, and Nutrition, and Veterinary Public Health indicates that traces of the COVID-19 virus had been found in wastewater samples from Italy as early as Dec. 18, 2019.
There is a potential answer for how COVID-19 cases could have come to Europe so early:
The
2019 Military World Games—a kind of Olympics for soldiers—was held in Wuhan starting Oct. 18 and lasted nine days. Nearly 10,000 military athletes from more than 100 countries, including those from major European countries, participated.
It is reported that athletes from
Germany, Italy, France, and Sweden became ill after their trip to Wuhan. Notably, these countries were the hardest hit early in the pandemic.
The Missing Pieces in Lab Origin
Put simply, the Chinese lab has been conducting risky studies. Additionally, the CCP appears to have been hiding the facts about when COVID-19 first started—as they have a record of doing with other outbreaks, such as the
2003 SARS outbreak.
Therefore, many scientists have leaned toward the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis.
The reason a conclusion hasn’t been made is that there is no smoking gun-level evidence that WIV created the exact same virus as COVID-19, though they have similar features.
One question that has been overlooked is whether people intending to do something can make it a success. Many people aim to conquer the world, yet few have successfully done so.
Considering other possibilities doesn’t negate the Chinese regime’s unethical actions throughout the pandemic—such as hiding it from the world for months—but such consideration could potentially broaden our perspective and lead to other important insights.
Though many scientists have leaned toward the Wuhan lab leak hypothesis, the lab-created coronaviruses were very different from the COVID-19 virus. Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock
3. Beyond Natural or Lab Origin Theory
The origin of the COVID-19 virus is not the only mystery surrounding the emergence of infectious diseases; many pathogens remain enigmatic regarding their ultimate sources. For instance, the same question can apply to the
smallpox virus.
Scientists have been
debating on where viruses come from for a long time.
Science has greatly advanced our understanding of the world. Nevertheless, it has its limitations—numerous fundamental
scientific questions remain unanswered. In 2021, the journal Science published 125 questions that contemporary scientific theories cannot explain. These questions spanned a breadth of research, including the fields of astronomy, physics, mathematics, chemistry, medicine, life sciences, neuroscience, ecology, energy science, and artificial intelligence.
Many fundamental scientific questions remain unanswered, despite significant advances made by researchers. Screenshot via The Epoch Times
For instance, the origins of humans and human consciousness still need to be more substantiated, and researchers continue to puzzle over such topics, although progress has been made in their understanding.
When science hits a ceiling, we can better understand life’s origins only by breaking through our notions.
Plagues in History
Historically, pandemics were often interpreted as something more significant than microbes as viruses or bacteria—many cultures viewed them as
manifestations of
moral failings.
At the time, the Black Death was seen as a warning of the
wrath of God for the moral corruption of man. As recorded in the book, “The Great Mortality,” one of the most widely circulated public documents—a Heavenly Letter–during the Black Death period, read, “O ye of little faith ... Ye have not repented of your sins ... therefore I have sent against you the Saracens and heathen people, earthquake, famine, beasts ...”
Christians were persecuted throughout the Roman Empire two millennia earlier, beginning in the 1st century A.D.
In 64 A.D., Roman emperor Nero initiated a
brutal persecution of Christians, wrongly blaming them for a catastrophic fire in Rome. He inflicted severe torture, using Christians as prey for wild beasts and burning them alive as human torches.
Over time,
10 Roman emperors, from Nero, Domitian, Trajan, to Diocletian, continued this persecution, with the most severe persecution occurring under Diocletian’s reign from 303 to 312 A.D.
Ancient Rome was
frequently plagued by pandemics, with roughly one significant disease outbreak occurring every 10 to 20 years, according to historical records.
One of the biggest pandemics
, “The Antonine Plague,” began in 165 A.D. The pandemic was reported to be smallpox, and it contributed to the empire’s decline.
When comparing COVID-19 with the historical plagues in Rome, similarities appear.
The COVID-19 pandemic occurred in 2019 when the Chinese regime was not only cracking down on
Christian churches and believers but also continuing the 25-year-long persecution of
Falun Gong, a traditional belief counting 100 million adherents based on moral values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Like Christianity and other religious belief systems, Falun Gong is based on moral values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.
Ever since the CCP took rule of the Chinese mainland in 1949, the totalitarian government has rid people of their freedom of spiritual belief and violated their basic human rights.
Independent investigations have revealed that the Chinese regime has been killing prisoners of conscience, primarily Falun Gong practitioners, and forcibly harvesting
their organs—in many cases—these horrors occur while they are still alive.
The location where COVID-19 originated from and hit most
severely is China, suggesting the main issue is closely linked with China.
CCP Should Be Held Accountable
China was once renowned for its authenticity and morality. However, after the CCP took control in 1949, under its totalitarian rule, ethics became loose, and fears rose.
Ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, the CCP has repeatedly delayed reporting and attempted to cover up the situation, hindering a coordinated global response. The regime has been doing the same with its persecution of people of faith.
Regardless of the ultimate origin of the virus, the CCP’s totalitarian regime, lack of accountability, and opaque policies have led to the harm of millions of lives. They must be held accountable for their actions.
Ultimately, the origins of COVID-19 remain unclear, although the argument for it being created in a lab is gaining traction. If it were created in a lab, this danger would align with the CCP’s modus operandi of covering up outbreaks and engaging in risky, gain-of-function research in Wuhan labs. At the very least, the Chinese government is complicit for trying to cover up the virus in the first place.
The theory that the virus originated in a lab, however, also presents challenges. The chances of researchers having the skill and luck to create such a virus are very low.
I think that the answer may be more universal—with both nature and science taking a role in its origin. COVID-19’s origin could also tap into a universal balance. Historically, plagues have arisen during times of spiritual persecution. The CCP is currently persecuting various ethnic and religious groups, including Christians and Falun Gong. The pandemic is a consequence of the CCP’s crimes against humanity, which they won’t acknowledge.
Update: The article has been updated with historical perspectives on pandemics.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here. 
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