The version that the new coronavirus COVID-19 has a natural origin and was developed in the laboratory, is not true. This was stated by Deputy Director of Institute of epidemiology and Microbiology named after Pasteur Rospotrebnadzor Alexander Semenov in an interview with the newspaper "Izvestia".
Earlier, the French virologist Luc Montagnier received the 2008 Nobel prize for the discovery of HIV, said that "the virus did manipulation". According to him, in COVID-19 was added to the HIV particle.
Semenov pointed out the existence of "experts" who are prone to conspiracy theories, while not having professional knowledge.
"In SARS-CoV-2 homologous structure that is similar to the structure of the human immunodeficiency virus. Then there are some "experts" and claim that the scientists have built in coronavirus the genome of HIV. Well, this is nonsense! In any RNA-containing virus to be homologous structures," he said.
According to the virologist, the arguments about artificial origin of the coronavirus may be needed for those who want to hide the incompetence of the health system or omissions made during the conduct of anti-epidemic measures.
Semenov also commented on the statement that, among the cases COVID-19 no more than 1.4 percent of smokers.
"This is anecdotal. Smokers get sick too, I saw it with my own eyes", — concluded the expert.
In Russia registered more than 47 thousand cases of infection, almost 3.5 thousand patients were cured. Authorities urged citizens to comply with all the precautions, in particular to keep distance and wear a medical mask.
