Scientific claims questioned
SĆørensen and Dalgleishās work contradicts the international scientific consensus that although the coronavirus pandemic originated in Wuhan, there is no evidence that it had been artificially engineered.
An analysis of the first 41 Covid-19 patients published in medical journal
the Lancet found that in 27 cases, there had been direct exposure to the Wuhan market, although not with the first known case. The World Health Organization has since
released guidance to those working in and visiting such markets, to reduce animal-human transmission of emerging pathogens.
The reportās authors also claim the lack of mutation in the virus since its discovery, suggests it was already fully adapted to humans. However, there have been several published studies noting evolution and mutation among SARS-CoV-2 strains.
SĆørensen told Norwegian broadcaster
NRK that the virus has properties that differ greatly from SARS, another coronavirus, and have never been detected in nature. He claimed that China and the United States have collaborated for many years on coronavirus research through "
gain of function" studies, in which the pathogenicity or transmissibility of potential pandemic pathogens can be enhanced in order to understand them better.