Currently under investigation by the United States, the P4 laboratory in Wuhan is at the center of a new controversy concerning Covid-19. Indeed, suspicions are rife regarding a possible leak of the virus from this laboratory funded by France as part of a collaboration.
On April 17, 2020, France Info published an investigation about the P4 laboratory of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (China), the very first in the country. However, it turns out that this place has been in place since 2015 and that France has greatly helped in its construction. This is the culmination of a willingness to collaborate dating back to 2003, when the SARS epidemic impacted China. At this time, the country needs help. This is how France and China sealed an alliance in the fight against emerging infectious diseases.
At the time, however, some French experts in bacteriological warfare protested against this idea. Indeed, while September 11, 2001 remains fresh in people's minds, it seems risky to allow China to easily acquire a P4-type laboratory. Remember in passing that "P4" is synonymous with very high biological safety . However, these fears faded and an agreement emerged in 2004.
In 2008, a joint steering committee was set up. At its head, the Frenchman Alain Mérieux and the Chinese Chen Zhu. In 2010, work began, supported by fifteen French SMEs. Finally, most of the construction is carried out by Chinese companies. In 2015, the laboratory was completed and could potentially accommodate 250 researchers in residence . Very quickly, China regained total control over the place, with the abandonment of the co-presidency of Alain Mérieux.
However, the authorities assure that the cooperation will continue. Unfortunately, this is a misrepresentation. Indeed, France is committed in 2017 to provide its technical and training expertise as part of a joint research program. Ultimately, this project will never happen. In reality, since the laboratory has been operational, the Chinese have been working there without any outside gaze . This is therefore a glaring lack of transparency.
In 2018, the P4 lab officially comes into operation and US officials visit it. The latter will alert Washington to the lack of security measures in a place where coronaviruses from bats are studied. The United States has recently been investigating this laboratory, after suspicions arose of a possible escape of Covid-19. It could be that Patient Zero or an employee of the institute. However, the latter would have spread – without knowing it – the pathogen in the city of Wuhan.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology indicated in February that it had received a sample of the new coronavirus on December 30, 2019, which was sequenced three days later. In addition, the WHO was informed on January 11, which was confirmed by the organization. Many researchers argue that Covid-19 originated in bats, before eventually passing through another animal to reach humans. And yet, this theory concerning the P4 laboratory fed abundant suspicions. Thus, the investigation conducted by the United States could in the near future provide some answers.
