Top Norwegian scientist Birger Sorensen in a study he co-authored recently with British professor Angus Dalgleish claimed that the novel coronavirus' origin wasn't natural and that it was rather manufactured in a laboratory environment. The claim has also gone on to receive big support from the former head of Britain's MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove. In a report published by Sorenson and Dalgleish in the Quarterly Review of Biophysics, it is stated that the SARS-CoV-2 protein included sequences that seem to have been inserted by artificial means.
The scientists, in their study, have observed that the mutation of novel coronavirus has been practically nil from the time it started affecting humans, indicating its adaptability to human species. They further state the virus has been manufactured to attach to humans. Their study is indicative of the basis, which is instrumental for the development of the potential vaccine specimen known as Biovacc-19, currently in advanced preclinical stages of development.
Sorenson in his report explained that the properties of COVID-19 varied vastly from what has so far been noticed in SARS and were never before seen in nature. He further stated that there has been research on coronavirus being jointly done by China and US for many years while claiming that both nations took part in a collaborated studies labelled as the "gain of function", in which the pathogenicity and transmissibility of pathogens capable of a pandemic were done for better understanding.
The study has come after rumors and conspiracy theories doing the rounds for months now stating that the virus was created in a highly advanced virology lab in Wuhan, China. Having said that, lab officials have since then maintained the stance that all such claims are contrived without any strong basis. Sorenson states that the coronavirus genetic sequence was first released by Chinese scientists while adding that it's origins are unnatural with China not allowing any similar studies on it since then.
Sir Richard Dearlove, who headed MI6 from 1999 to 2004, too has backed the recent Norwegian-British report saying a biosecurity failure could be the reason for the coronavirus to escape during experiments with bat viruses. However, he pointed out saying China might be trying to hide the facts about the virus' escape from the lab and that it might have been released from the lab on purpose.
He said, "I think this started as an accident,", while also throwing in the question of whether China would take responsibility or if they would come forward to pay compensation. The former British intel officer added that the recent report has been dismissed by numerous scientific publications in order to not anger China. Sir Dearlove stated, "It’s a risky business if you make a mistake. Look at the stories of the attempts by the leadership to lock down any debate about the origins of the pandemic and the way that people have been arrested or silenced".