<p>Two European scientists have claimed that the pandemic-causing SARS-CoV-2 was artificially created in a laboratory by Chinese scientists, who later covered their tracks by reverse engineering virus to give it an appearance of a natural pathogen.</p>.<p>In a 22-page research paper, British professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Birger Sorensen said they found "unique fingerprints" in Covid-19 samples that could only come from “manipulation in a laboratory”, according to an exclusive report in the UK newspaper <em>Daily Mail</em>.</p>.<p><em>DH</em> has no independent corroboration of the <em>Daily Mail</em> report. The research paper is not available in the public domain as it is yet to be published. It is expected to appear in the <em>Quarterly Review of Biophysics Discovery</em>.</p>.<p>The study alleged “deliberate destruction, concealment or containment” of data at Chinese labs and notes silencing and disappearance of scientists in China who spoke out about such activities.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/what-we-know-about-the-origins-of-covid-19-990930.html" target="_blank">What we know about the origins of Covid-19</a></strong></p>.<p>Dalgleish and Sorensen argued that the Covid-19 virus had “no natural ancestor” and was crafted by the Chinese scientists working on a “Gain of Function” project in a Wuhan laboratory. Gain of function projects, which involve tweaking a natural virus to make them more infectious, was outlawed by US president Barack Obama.</p>.<p>In the paper, the scientists wrote that a natural virus pandemic would be expected to mutate gradually and become infectious but less pathogenic, which did not happen in the case of Covid-19. They claimed after the pandemic began, Chinese scientists took samples of the Covid-19 virus and 'retro-engineered' it, making it appear as if it had evolved naturally.</p>.<p>The sensational claim by the European duo comes at a time when global demand for a repeat investigation into the origin of SARS-CoV-2 is gaining ground. The first such probe by the World Health Organisation remained inconclusive.</p>.<p>Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden also asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to probe the virus’s origin and sought a report within 90 days.</p>.<h2>Watch the latest from DH</h2>
<p>Two European scientists have claimed that the pandemic-causing SARS-CoV-2 was artificially created in a laboratory by Chinese scientists, who later covered their tracks by reverse engineering virus to give it an appearance of a natural pathogen.</p>.<p>In a 22-page research paper, British professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Birger Sorensen said they found "unique fingerprints" in Covid-19 samples that could only come from “manipulation in a laboratory”, according to an exclusive report in the UK newspaper <em>Daily Mail</em>.</p>.<p><em>DH</em> has no independent corroboration of the <em>Daily Mail</em> report. The research paper is not available in the public domain as it is yet to be published. It is expected to appear in the <em>Quarterly Review of Biophysics Discovery</em>.</p>.<p>The study alleged “deliberate destruction, concealment or containment” of data at Chinese labs and notes silencing and disappearance of scientists in China who spoke out about such activities.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/what-we-know-about-the-origins-of-covid-19-990930.html" target="_blank">What we know about the origins of Covid-19</a></strong></p>.<p>Dalgleish and Sorensen argued that the Covid-19 virus had “no natural ancestor” and was crafted by the Chinese scientists working on a “Gain of Function” project in a Wuhan laboratory. Gain of function projects, which involve tweaking a natural virus to make them more infectious, was outlawed by US president Barack Obama.</p>.<p>In the paper, the scientists wrote that a natural virus pandemic would be expected to mutate gradually and become infectious but less pathogenic, which did not happen in the case of Covid-19. They claimed after the pandemic began, Chinese scientists took samples of the Covid-19 virus and 'retro-engineered' it, making it appear as if it had evolved naturally.</p>.<p>The sensational claim by the European duo comes at a time when global demand for a repeat investigation into the origin of SARS-CoV-2 is gaining ground. The first such probe by the World Health Organisation remained inconclusive.</p>.<p>Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden also asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to probe the virus’s origin and sought a report within 90 days.</p>.<h2>Watch the latest from DH</h2>
