The possible origin of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan. Could it have been a biological accident?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Not as silly as some of the lunatic theories being bandied about.
LenHazell53
Level 9
Apr 8, 2020
2
Depends on how you define "accident". Every natural mutation is an "accident". If it is a "good" accident, then it stands a chance of becoming permanent.
"Bad" accidents usually do not survive in the long run.
If, as seems likely, the virus came from something like a farmed animal or bat, it has probably been happening frequently for a long time, with no ill effects because the virus simply found itself in a hostile environment in which it was trapped and unable to persuade it's host's cells to reproduce it. Remember, unlike a bacterium, a virus is too elementary to be able to reproduce by itself.
.... until an accident happened. A virus mutated, by accident, and discovered it could now persuade its human host to reproduce it's genetic code, complete with the new mutation. From now on, it could sometimes transmit from human to human. Then it had another accidental mutation, which made it more efficient and virulent.
Petter
Level 9
Apr 7, 2020
3
How did that tiger get it? Why are dogs and cats getting it? More questions.
@sassygirl3869 But did they suffer from it? Can they in turn pass it on? The world is teeming with different viruses, they are the most basic building blocks of complex life. We, in common with all life forms, have thousands of viruses invading our bodies, that our immune systems have learned to handle.
@sassygirl3869 They all got it from persistent, long term close contact with infected humans. (Which is how humans got it in the first place!)
If viral transmission from animal to human is not a biological accident what the fuck is???
of-the-mountain
Level 9
Apr 7, 2020
1
Stop the scare tactics ! Give reference(s) to one-or-more high-level epidemeologists who thinks thinks this is a reasonable idea (good luck with that).
FearlessFly
Level 9
Apr 7, 2020
1
Just posting an article on the question. Feel free to disagree with article. Not saying I agree.
I don't find that it's scare tactics. I find that it's a reasonable hypothesis question.
Don't have fear FearlessFly. deal only with the situation at hand which outcomes are in no way related to any hypothetical causes
@pgrobinson IMHO, reliable sources are way more important that hypotheticals.
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