"Comprehensive Plan Needed for Transmission Path Research"
[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] As the cumulative number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in China surpassed 80,000, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited two institutions researching COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, ordering them to study vaccines, therapeutics, and the virus's origin.
According to the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, People's Daily, on the 3rd, President Xi encouraged researchers during visits to the Military Medical Research Institute and Tsinghua University Medical School in Beijing the previous day. A photo of President Xi wearing a medical mask and white gown adorned the front page of People's Daily.
During his visit to the Military Medical Research Institute, President Xi emphasized to the researchers the need to accelerate scientific research on vaccines, development of pharmaceuticals, and rapid diagnostic kits. He stated, "Science and technology are the most important weapons in humanity's fight against infectious diseases," adding, "We must use science and technology to increase the cure rate and reduce the fatality rate to achieve the ultimate victory in the war against COVID-19."
After leaving the Military Medical Research Institute, President Xi visited Tsinghua University Medical School, where he received reports from experts on the progress of COVID-19 drug development and novel testing methods. He said, "There are two major tasks in this battle: one is disease prevention at the front lines, and the other is research and supply of vaccines, medicines, and medical materials. Both must work hand in hand." He continued, "Saving more patients is the highest priority," and ordered that research on vaccines and therapeutics be expedited.
He also issued instructions to study the virus's origin. After inspecting Tsinghua University Medical School, President Xi held a roundtable meeting and directed, "A comprehensive plan must be established to study the virus's origin and transmission routes." He emphasized, "Make good use of the characteristics of the virus protein and receptor binding to assess the possibility of suspicious animals serving as intermediate hosts. Epidemiological and origin investigations using new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data must also be conducted."
President Xi's directive to investigate the origin of the novel coronavirus came amid recent claims by Zhong Nanshan, a top Chinese authority on infectious diseases and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, suggesting that the origin of COVID-19 may not be China. Chinese media have reported, based on this claim, the possibility that COVID-19 originated in regions other than Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and was transmitted into China.
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