We are public health scientists who have closely followed the emergence of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and are deeply concerned about its impact on global health and wellbeing. We have watched as the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China, in particular, have worked diligently and effectively to rapidly identify the pathogen behind this outbreak, put in place significant measures to reduce its impact, and share their results transparently with the global health community. This effort has been remarkable.
We sign this statement in solidarity with all scientists and health professionals in China who continue to save lives and protect global health during the challenge of the COVID-19 outbreak. We are all in this together, with our Chinese counterparts in the forefront, against this new viral threat.
The rapid, open, and transparent sharing of data on this outbreak is now being threatened by rumours and misinformation around its origins. We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin. Scientists from multiple countries have published and analysed genomes of the causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),
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and they overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife,
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US Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation summary.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation summary.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html
Date: Feb 16, 2020
Date accessed: February 8, 2020
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as have so many other emerging pathogens.
- Andersen KG
- Rambaut A
- Lipkin WI
- Holmes EC
- Garry RF
The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2.
http://virological.org/t/the-proximal-origin-of-sars-cov-2/398
Date: Feb 16, 2020
Date accessed: February 17, 2020
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,
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This is further supported by a letter from the presidents of the US National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
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and by the scientific communities they represent. Conspiracy theories do nothing but create fear, rumours, and prejudice that jeopardise our global collaboration in the fight against this virus. We support the call from the Director-General of WHO to promote scientific evidence and unity over misinformation and conjecture.
NASEM
The National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine of the USA. NAS, NAE, and NAM presidents' letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine of the USA. NAS, NAE, and NAM presidents' letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
https://www.nationalacademies.org/includes/NASEM%20Response%20to%20OSTP%20re%20Coronavirus_February%206,%202020.pdf
Date: Feb 6, 2020
Date accessed: February 7, 2020
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We want you, the science and health professionals of China, to know that we stand with you in your fight against this virus.
WHO
Director-General's remarks at the media briefing on 2019 novel coronavirus on 8 February 2020.
Director-General's remarks at the media briefing on 2019 novel coronavirus on 8 February 2020.
https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/director-general-s-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-2019-novel-coronavirus---8-february-2020
Date: Feb 8, 2020
Date accessed: February 18, 2020
We invite others to join us in supporting the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of Wuhan and across China. Stand with our colleagues on the frontline!
We speak in one voice. To add your support for this statement, sign our letter online. LM is editor of ProMED-mail. We declare no competing interests.
Supplementary Material
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Chinese translation of full text
References
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: the species and its viruses—a statement of the Coronavirus Study Group.bioRxiv. 2020; (published online Feb 11. DOI: 2020.02.07.937862 (preprint).)
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A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin.Nature. 2020; (published online Feb 3.)
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A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019.NEJM. 2020; (published online Jan 24.)
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Full-genome evolutionary analysis of the novel corona virus (2019-nCoV) rejects the hypothesis of emergence as a result of a recent recombination event.Infect Genet Evol. 2020; (published online Jan 29.)
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The 2019-new coronavirus epidemic: evidence for virus evolution.J Med Virol. 2020; (published online Jan 29.)
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Receptor recognition by novel coronavirus from Wuhan: an analysis based on decade-long structural studies of SARS.J Virol. 2020; (published online Jan 29.)
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation summary.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.htmlDate: Feb 16, 2020Date accessed: February 8, 2020
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The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2.http://virological.org/t/the-proximal-origin-of-sars-cov-2/398Date: Feb 16, 2020Date accessed: February 17, 2020
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The role of wildlife in emerging and re-emerging zoonoses.Rev Sci Tech. 2004; 23: 497-512
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Host range and emerging and reemerging pathogens.Emerg Infect Dis. 2005; 11: 1842-1847
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The National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine of the USA. NAS, NAE, and NAM presidents' letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.https://www.nationalacademies.org/includes/NASEM%20Response%20to%20OSTP%20re%20Coronavirus_February%206,%202020.pdfDate: Feb 6, 2020Date accessed: February 7, 2020
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Director-General's remarks at the media briefing on 2019 novel coronavirus on 8 February 2020.https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/director-general-s-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-2019-novel-coronavirus---8-february-2020Date: Feb 8, 2020Date accessed: February 18, 2020
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Published: February 19, 2020
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- Addendum: competing interests and the origins of SARS-CoV-2
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In February, 2020, 27 public health experts co-authored a Correspondence in The Lancet (“Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19”),1 supporting health professionals and physicians in China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this letter, the authors declared no competing interests. Some readers have questioned the validity of this disclosure, particularly as it relates to one of the authors, Peter Daszak.
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- Science, not speculation, is essential to determine how SARS-CoV-2 reached humans
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On Feb 19, 2020, we, a group of physicians, veterinarians, epidemiologists, virologists, biologists, ecologists, and public health experts from around the world, joined together to express solidarity with our professional colleagues in China.1 Unsubstantiated allegations were being raised about the source of the COVID-19 outbreak and the integrity of our peers who were diligently working to learn more about the newly recognised virus, SARS-CoV-2, while struggling to care for the many patients admitted to hospital with severe illness in Wuhan and elsewhere in China.
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