Wall Street Journal reported exclusively that three researchers at the Wuhan virus lab came down with coronavirus-like symptoms in November 2019. Other than CNN, the mainstream media is conducting a blackout of the story.
Summary
The “lab leak” theory for the coronavirus’ origins is gaining even more traction as Wall Street Journal reported exclusively over the weekend that three scientists working at the Wuhan Institute of Virology were hospitalized in November of 2019 with symptoms similar to COVID-19 a month before officials records of a new viral outbreak.
- The Chinese government, which has consistently posited a dubious theory that SARS-CoV-2 was brought to China, rejected the validity of the report, saying America is “trying to distract attention.”
- Information compiled by the State Department in the final days of the Trump administration said there was reason to believe a Covid-19-like illness struck several Wuhan Institute researchers in the fall before the public emergence of the virus.
- Neither the World Health Organization or the Biden administration provided confirmation of the report, with WHO saying it must be investigated alongside “the role of animal markets” while Biden’s National Security Council said the administration has serious questions about the earliest days of the pandemic.”
- Two weeks ago, in a little-reported event with media advocacy group Poynter, Dr. Anthony Fauci said he was “not convinced” the coronavirus’ origin was a natural animal-human transmission. Widespread coverage of Fauci’s comments two weeks ago broke mere hours before the Wall Street Journal’s exclusive report on Wuhan researchers being hospitalized in November 2019.
- CNN is the only left-leaning source of note to report on this bombshell development, but made sure their audience understood “the intelligence community still does not know what the researchers were actually sick with” and that current conventional wisdom in the intel community points to a naturally occurring origin.
- As of 6:30 Monday morning, Vox has not yet reported on this. Not NBC News either. ABC News? Nope. Same for the New York Times.
- The Washington Post has not reported on this specific development, but is urging the United States to create a “nonpartisan commission” to study the origins of the virus and help “rebuild U.S. credibility after the stumbles of the pandemic.” The Post also republished an analysis from Bloomberg last night that still says it is “extremely unlikely” that the origin of the coronavirus was the result of a lab accident.
- The Daily Wire’s report on the revelation included statements from David Asher, a former State Department investigator who has worked for Democrat and Republican president and believes the Chinese military was conducting bioweapons research at the Wuhan Institute, who said it’s “very doubtful” these researchers all got sick at once and “it didn’t have anything to do with the coronavirus”
- Hot Air and Newsmax covered Fauci’s reversal in his comments regarding the virus’ origins, with Hot Air focusing on the media love-fest for Fauci last year who “crushed Donald Trump’s theory” of the virus origins, and Newsmax focusing on Fauci’s comments in a Senate hearing that effectively contradicted what he told Poynter.
- RedState’s Bonchie synthesized new reporting over recent days, that between the House GOP Intelligence report providing circumstantial evidence of a lab leak, Fauci’s sudden change of heart, and the WSJ report, all signs are pointing to at the very least, Chinese Communist duplicity and that those in the media who were dismissive and condescending to anyone positing this theory last year “shouldn’t be allowed to suddenly shift sides.”
Author’s Take
Firstly, the timing of reporting on Fauci’s comments, which are two weeks old, is suspicious. Wall Street Journal’s report was imminent, and based on quotes from the article, the Biden administration had to have known there would reporting forthcoming. Yet, additionally, former State Department official David Asher had been discussing the ill researchers in public as early as March, per the WSJ article.
Secondly, given the hyperventilation of the mainstream media last year over literally anything President Trump or an aide would say regarding the virus’ origins, the near complete lack of coverage on what is an important revelation is yet another example of how media bias works. It’s not just how events are reported. It’s whether they’re reported at all.
RedState is right: Those in the mainstream media must be called out for their fake amnesia in how they covered similar reports last year. The occupant of the White House should not change their ferocity in reporting the news, yet it is clear the mainstream media’s fact checkers and investigative journalists have just begun what is effectively a four-year vacation now that President Biden is in office.
It is this type of obvious, transparent, blatant bias that results in an abysmal level of trust in the mainstream media.
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© Dallas Gerber, 2021
