Slack / Private Message Drop — page 533

[Kristian Andersen] "Eddie Holmes", actually - but close. [2021-02-20 14:55:11] [Eddie Holmes] Sorry, I need catch-up. Just been chatting with my mate at CNN. Confidentially: (i) the WHO report is going to be delayed a bit; (ii) Peter Embarek and Daszak seem to be leaking stuff to the press (my mate reckons that Daszak may have burned his bridges with China); (iii) in turns out that the 1st documented patient is in fact Dec 8th and not Dec 1st. The parents of that patient have a link to a different wet market in Wuhan. Not sure if that means anything; (iv) there were seemingly 10 animal vendors at the Huanan market and apparently the Chinese have not tested animals from the base of the chain that leads to these vendors...the base is animals from southern China (Yunnan, Guangdong etc.). The WHO will recommend that (iii) and (iv) should be investigated further and it seems amazing they have not...or they have and are not telling. [2021-02-20 15:12:42] [Kristian Andersen] Oh, very exciting - thanks for the update Eddie! This bit "the base is animals from southern China" is key - and I think something Peter was excited about as well. [2021-02-20 15:14:54] [Andrew Rambaut] But they would say that wouldn't they. [2021-02-20 15:15:25] [Andrew Rambaut] They are leaking on behalf of CCP [2021-02-20 15:15:45] [Andrew Rambaut] Or it was frozen salmon or something [2021-02-20 15:17:47] [Kristian Andersen] Haha. [2021-02-20 15:18:09] [Kristian Andersen] Just enough edge to not come directly from the CCP :wink: [2021-02-20 15:18:32] [Robert Garry] (i) I think one could sense a little tension when Tedros said all hypotheses were still open. Not too surprising they can't agree on precise wording, but unfortunately delays fueling up the tinfoil hats. Would not be surprised if there wasn't a bit of pushback from multiple govts. (ii) One presumes Embarek is clearing things with WHO. Dazak is a loose cannon - sorta held it together for a NYTimes interview - otherwise not so good. (iii) I'm guessing a lot of people have links to various wet markets. What's perhaps just as relevant - the missing of any link to WIV. IF there were links of ANY of the early cases to WIV or any other labs in Wuhan I am dubious that this could be covered up even in China. Not impossible, but I believe unlikely. But yeah investigate the heck or of those early cases (iv) Investigate the animals too! I'm still waiting for then to go in with Lin-Fa's ACE2BOB assay and look for anti-sarbecovirus Abs in animals in YN, GD and further south. [2021-02-20 15:39:45] [Kristian Andersen] @Robert Garry - are the figures for the google doc available somewhere? [2021-02-20 15:42:12] [Robert Garry]