Wuhan lab received `shipment of deadliest viruses' from Canada months before Covid-19 outbreak

ANI | Updated: Jun 16, 2020 16:28 IST

London [UK], June 16 (ANI): The Wuhan Institute of Virology received a shipment of deadly viruses from Canada's Microbiology Lab months before the outbreak of Covid-19, newly-released documents confirm.
UK's Daily Express said the lethal delivery was sent from the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, Canada, to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in early 2019.
It quoted a CBC News report confirming that one of the scientists escorted from the lab after an investigation in July last year was responsible for exporting the pathogens to China four months earlier.
Dr Xiangguo Qiu was removed from Canada's only level-4 lab over what is described as a possible "policy breach". Dr Qiu dispatched Ebola and Henipah viruses to the lab.
Canadian officials have been quick to confirm the shipments were not related to the coronavirus outbreak, adding that the reason for Dr Qiu's eviction from the Winnipeg lab was not connected to the shipment.
Eric Morrissette, chief of media relations for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada wrote in an email: "The administrative investigation is not related to the shipment of virus samples to China.
"In response to a request from the Wuhan Institute of Virology for viral samples of Ebola and Henipah viruses, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) sent samples for the purpose of scientific research in 2019."
Experts are not convinced, though.
Amir Attaran, a law professor and epidemiologist at the University of Ottawa, told CBC News: "It is suspicious. It is alarming. It is potentially life-threatening."

https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/wuhan-lab-received-shipment-of-deadliest-viruses-from-canada-months-before-covid-19-outbreak20200616162811/