Fox News Interviews Henry Miller on Coronavirus Outbreak in Italy
WHO says coronavirus ‘absolutely’ has potential for pandemic status as Italy, Iran brace for surge
By: Alexandria Hein
Health officials stressed on Monday that while Iran and Italy have reported a surge in coronavirus cases over the last several days and raced to cancel public events, the outbreak, which originated in China, has not yet met the criteria for a pandemic, although it “absolutely” has the potential to get there.
“Using the term pandemic now, it doesn’t fit the facts, but it may cause fear,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press conference on Monday. “Now is not the time to focus on what word we use – it will not prevent a single infection or save a single life.” . . .
. . . But Dr. Henry Miller, a senior fellow in health studies at the Pacific Research Institute and a former FDA official, said that while the original theory surrounding a Wuhan food market as the virus origin can be called into question, there is “no evidence at all” that the virus came from a lab.
“That is irresponsible speculation,” he told Fox News. “Its genetic sequence is virtually identical to coronaviruses found in bats, and may have passed through an intermediate animal host (thought perhaps to be a pangolin).”
Miller said that investigators will have to focus primarily on the sequence of the virus’ RNA in tracking its true origin.
“There were cases that originated earlier than the opening of the food market first thought to be the source,” he said. “The virus appears to have emerged at the end of November or in December.”
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