Renowned Virologist, Shi Zhengli said in an interview on Chinese state television that viruses that are being discovered now are “just the tip of the iceberg” and she further emphasized on the need for international cooperation in the fight against epidemics.
The Deputy director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, popularly known as ‘bat woman’, said that research into viruses requires scientists to be more transparent and cooperative. She also mentioned that science should not be politicized.
"If we want to prevent human beings from suffering from the next infectious disease outbreak, we must go in advance to learn of these unknown viruses carried by wild animals in nature and give early warnings. If we don't study them there will possibly be another outbreak,” Shi told CGTN.
When asked about the accusation against her lab leaking the novel coronavirus, she said that the genetic characteristics of viruses she’s worked with did not match the ones that are spreading the pandemic. In another interview she claimed that it is “pure fabrication”.
She even posted in social media that she’d swear on her life, the pandemic has nothing to do with the lab.
However, both US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo continue to state that COVID19 is linked to the Wuhan Laboratory.
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