When China was reluctant to acknowledge the other coronavirus in 2002 - in Pics
As per a new report, just like COVID-19, China had seemed reluctant in acknowledging the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), another form of coronavirus, way back in 2002
The emergence of COVID-19 and the pandemic that it led to made scientists across the globe curious about the origin of the virus, with several contradictory theories surfacing. The first known infections from SARS-CoV-2 were discovered in Wuhan, China.
The original source of viral transmission to humans remains unclear - as per some claims, it had come from bat and illegal animal trade, while several claims point out to lab leak leading to the pandemic. The blame game has been on since then. While China has been accused of keeping the news of virus spread a secret from the world till it was too late, the country has denied all such claims.
Now a new report claims that China has earlier also neglected another form of cornavirus way back in 2002.
(Pic Courtesy: Reuters)
An unknown respiratory disease in 2002
SARS is also a deadly coronavirus
SARS: A major coronavirus outbreak in the world
China's reluctance in acknowledging the outbreak
Doctors in China were worried when SARS coronavirus broke out in the country. But like in the case of COVID-19, China seemed reluctant in acknowledging the outbreak. During the SARS outbreak, China recognised it only in February whereas the first case was reported around November-December. It took additional three weeks to confirm that the virus could transmit from human to human, claim news reports.
