Coronavirus: China attacks US virologist Anthony Fauci

Enlarge image

Anthony Fauci (in the White House 2020)

Photo:

Alex Brandon / dpa

A US intelligence report shows that three employees of a laboratory in Wuhan, China, had to be treated in a hospital with Covid-19-like symptoms as early as November 2019.

That would be significantly earlier than the previously assumed start of the outbreak, which is scheduled for December 2019 (read more here).

China called this report a "complete lie". The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the US was "continuing to work on the laboratory leak theory." But now they are also attacking leading US virus expert Anthony Fauci, who used to be an advisor to ex-President Donald Trump. Fauci had "betrayed Chinese scientists" and was involved in a "big lie against China," according to CNN in a report by the state-affiliated newspaper "Global Times". With his statements, Fauci fired the theory that the corona virus originated in a laboratory in Wuhan.

According to CNN, Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases in Maryland, was no longer completely convinced at the beginning of May that the Covid-19 pandemic had developed naturally.

"We should investigate further what was going on in China and do our best to find out what happened," Fauci was quoted as saying.

In the past, Beijing had always been benevolent of Fauci when he attacked Trump's corona policy.

In reports, Chinese scientists praised his professionalism and courage in telling the truth.

Fauci has since tried to explain what he said in May.

His opinion on the origins of Covid-19 has not changed and he still believes that its origin in nature is "very likely".

But he is open to thorough investigations into the outbreak of the virus.

as