DISINFO: COVID-2019 was created by the US in 2015
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: Medialeaks (archived)*
  • Date of publication: March 18, 2020
  • Outlet language(s): Russian
  • Reported in: Issue 189
  • Countries / regions discussed: China, US
Tags:
coronavirus Conspiracy theory

DISINFO: COVID-2019 was created by the US in 2015

SUMMARY

COVID-2019 was created by a US laboratory in 2015. A study published by researchers from the University of North Carolina and Wuhan Institute of Virology serves as proof.

RESPONSE

Conspiracy theory with no evidence given, based on recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about biological weapons and that the outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus is man-made, in this case, made in the US. COVID-19 comes from a family of viruses originating in animals that include other viruses such as SARS and MERS. It was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in central China and has been rapidly spreading across the world.

The number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 300,000 globally with over 14,000 deaths by 23 March 2020. Cases have been reported in 190 countries, territories and areas.

Many other claims have been pushed by pro-Kremlin media since the outbreak started in January, for example, that governments overestimate the threat, that it was born in a laboratory to infect Chinese, that it is an element of hybrid warfare and that the remedy has been developed in Ukraine.

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Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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