IMG source - JamesLyonWeiler.com
On Jan 30, 2020, Dr. Lyons-Weiler published his research into the etymology of the Kung Flu (not his term). He assessed several possible sources for the virus, and has concluded that the most likely is that it was an attempt to create a CoV vaccine that escaped from a lab. He does not claim to know which lab, or have proof. His analysis compares sequences in the RNA of the virus with wild virii and lab tools.
He calls for deeper investigation of published lab sequences, as he believes they may reveal the specific source and pathogenic features of the virus that he feels there is 'moderately strong confirmation' have produced this pathogen.
IMG source - JamesLyonWeiler.com
"...it still seems prudent that this inserted sequence in 2019-nCoV become the focus on urgent research, and that laboratory sources be included in the search for the origins of 2019-nCoV and potential targets for treatments and expected pathophysiology in patients infected with 2019-nCoV."
In a reply to a comment (on the second page I have linked) he also states:
"Given the scenarios, it all hinges on which scenario (hypotheses) bears out:
(1) Natural recombination – looks like this is not likely at all...in this case, the natural origin hypothesis seems dim
to me.
(2) Lab-origin – seems most likely.
(2a) Lab-origin, vaccine type.
(2a1) Lab-origin, vaccine type, escaped.
If this is an experimental vaccine type, escaped from a lab, it is by definition contagious
(as would any coronavirus be) and the lab may have been working to modify the transmissibility.
Such modifications could have resulted in a super-transmissible virus, which also happens to
have more pathogenic capacity. The R0 does appear elevated."
"(2a2) Lab-origin, vaccine type, administered, tested on humans in China.
If this scenario is true, then the rest of the world need not worry so much. Vaccines of
this type (SARS, etc) have notoriously bad reputations because the animal studies resulted
in high mortality in older animals upon secondary challenge. Since the rest of the world
was not vaccinated w/an experimental coronovirus w/an extra SARS-like spike protein, we would
not be sensitized and the older population (50+) would not be at increased risk.
(3) Lab-origin, bioweapon, escaped or released.
If this is a bioweapon, it’s poorly designed."
"Overall, if we all act as though we, and everyone we meet, is infected, and do not shake hands,
hug or kiss, use the “Ebola elbow bump” to greet (in short, keep your fluids to yourself), don’t
share food or utensils, carry and use tissues, and throw them in the bin (as HMG suggests), wipe
down all common public surfaces w/bleach wipes (door knobs, door handles, keypads, elevator buttons,
bathroom fixtures, light switches) throughout the day, we can all work together to
bring R0 down to below 1.0. And we should do these things anyway during flu season."
I find his arguments compelling and reasonable.
His comment section is a vibrant mix of professional virologists, microbiologists, and peers, as well as well informed laymen, and the occasional agent provocateur or raving lunatic. It's almost more informative and entertaining than Dr. Lyons-Weilers research and results, if more regarding sociology and psychopathology on one hand, and how scientific discourse and inquiry ideally proceed on the other.
I highly recommend folks with no aversion to scientific jargon and highly technical discussion dive in. I guarantee you'll learn something that will improve your life.
Edit: Dr. Lyons-Weiler has kept busy. In the days since his original publication, his blog has exploded with furious commentary, including much recrimination. It is illuminating to see the urge many commenters seem to have to discount the assessment of lab origins of this virus.
His new work analyzing the divergence of 2019-nCoV has produced this tree:
IMG source - JamesLyonsWeiler.com
As you can see a great deal of these sequences come from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and particularly those with highly divergent bootstrap numbers. This would seem to indicate that WIV, as has been reported, is particularly experienced at manipulating these virii most similar to Kung Flu.
Noteworthy exceptions to WIV regarding divergent bootstrap numbers are a submission from BCCA Genome Sciences in Canada, and the bottom submission from the Institute of Military Medicine, Nanjing Command.
I became concerned when I read this:
"A note of caution: some of the sequences may be different that then ones we analyzed due to what we were informed to be “database update errors”, whatever those include. We were contacted by a person who evidently knew about a “natural” bat coronavirus isolated in July 2013 at the Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China who pointed us to a sequence available NCBI’s Nucleotide database but that had been uploaded only in January, 2020. We do not know when when the sequencing was done, whether it was a frozen sample just recently sequenced, or whether it was isolated from laboratory propagated viral lines in human cell lines. Oddly, the original gap that we found, and that was reported in the peer-reviewed study that pointed to potential recombination in snakes, and that a second, independent peer-review study also found and could not match (and called a “middle fragment” can no longer be found using the same accession numbers. I am not certain of who curates NCBI’s databases at this time, but NCBI should have a record of any evidence of un-annotated updates and I leave it to them to sort this issue out."
If sequences are being deleted or 'un-annotated' from the NCBI database on which scientists rely to compare and understand the etymology of virii, then the work of scientists of enabling treatment and health care is being sabotaged.
The parties curating the NCBI database need to be able, willing, and certain to perform that task competently and without discrepancy. Literally billions of lives are at stake.
I cannot see any possible justification for failing to support scientists by securely maintaining the sequence information necessary to understanding and treating this scourge on humanity. Great and diligent attention needs to be given to these failures of submitted sequence data to be adequately curated by NCBI.
Deliberate deletion of data regarding a pandemic pathogen sweeping through lives and communities of billions of people is tantamount to genocide, and a potential crime against humanity of proportions never before contemplated in history.
Who curates NCBI?
This is a perfect cover story for removing vast numbers of undesireables in China.
Watch the masses huddle in fear.
Amazing times, indeed.
Also watch what happens on the cruise ships, if they cover that up, or there are significant fatalities outside of China, then this virus may warrant some concern.
From where I sit, this appears to be a massive show of force.
Do you mean that China deliberately leaked the corona virus to the world to make germ warfare weapons?
I think it is possible. When Japan lost to the United States in World War II, they tried to attack the germ weapons against the United States.
Japan built 731 units in Manchuria in preparation for war with the United States, China, the Soviet Union, and conducted germ warfare experiments using Koreans, Chinese, Soviets, Mongolians, Manchus, and Americans as experimental humans.
Koreans are therefore afraid of the cruelty of the Japanese. Is China trying to imitate Japan's war crimes?
I cannot make that judgement myself. Dr. Lyons-Weiler dismisses the possibility Kung Flu is a bioweapon as unlikely, because it isn't a very good bioweapon. He find the best likelihood is that it was being developed to enable a vaccine, and escaped from the lab somehow.
While China and other polities have provably committed horrible crimes against humanity, honestly there is no point in focusing on blame. Rather, what will help people survive today is understanding how this virus came about so that better treatment can be provided to those it attacks, and better ways of preventing people from becoming infected can be undertaken.
He details specific things we should do to lower the R0 below 1, which will stop the spread of the disease.
Thanks!