On February 7th, 2020, South China Agricultural University released the research results of the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic: a type of β coronavirus found in pangolins is 99% similar to the novel coronavirus infected by humans, and pangolins may be the potential intermediate host of the novel coronavirus. Shen Yongyi, Xiao Lihua and other researchers from Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Modern Agricultural Science and Technology of Lingnan, professors of South China Agricultural University and members of the innovation team of key fields of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China made a major breakthrough in tracing the potential intermediate host of novel coronavirus through joint research. By analyzing more than 1,000 meta-genomic samples, the team identified pangolins as potential intermediate hosts for the new coronavirus, and then through molecular biological tests and electron microscopy, finally found that the sequences of pangolins virus splicing from the meta-genome were 99% similar to the sequences of strains currently infecting humans.

Today, another case of smuggled pangolin was found to have novel coronavirus. BioWorld released the article called “Another proof, it’s pangolin again! Professor Guan Yi found the novel coronavirus from the smuggled pangolin”, the article mentioned that “Prof. Guan Yi’s team collected 18 tissue samples of frozen pangolin seized by Guangxi customs during the anti-smuggling operation from August 2017 to January 2018, and showed the presence of coronavirus through high-throughput sequencing”.

Recalling that on August 17th, 2017, 34 pangolins were seized in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and handed over to the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Since then, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) has been sending letters to the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for the latest situation of 34 pangolins, applying for information disclosure, administrative litigation, public interest litigation, etc. However, in the end, CBCGDF was informed that 34 pangolins died of all the highly pathogenic viruses, and the relevant departments in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have not disclosed any information carriers such as the detection report of the highly pathogenic virus.

The Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has found that pangolin has a highly pathogenic virus, but it still sends them to other institutions in different names and reasons. This not only puts public security at an extremely dangerous level but also has a significant impact on the public interest.

CBCGDF has twice submitted to the Supreme People’s Court of Beijing a lawsuit against the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and other administrative cases to supplement new evidence. Proof that the novel coronavirus has been found in pangolins, including the smuggled pangolins that CBCGDF asked the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region about.

CBCGDF urged relevant departments to investigate and find out the truth of the matter.

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4857/11385.html

By / Xue Tongtong Modified / Maggie