'Unfortunate' that data on potential animal vector of COVID wasn’t revealed sooner: Bogoch
The suggestion that raccoon dogs may have played a role in the origin of COVID-19, based on the collection of genetic material from a wet market in China, doesn’t shed much light on the current pandemic situation, according to one Canadian expert.
Speaking on CTV’s Your Morning on Monday, Dr. Isaac Bogoch said that it was “pretty unfortunate” that we’re finding out about this new potential animal vector this late, considering that we know those samples were collected in early 2020.
“They’re only being made available now, and in fact they were uploaded to a global public repository for genetic material, and then subsequently removed, so there certainly is an issue with transparency,” he said.
The data hasn’t undergone peer review yet. Bogoch noted that the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called for more transparency from China.
“I think another key point here is that this is still a theory, we still don’t have an answer, this provides incremental data in terms of understanding what the origin of the virus was,” he said.
The animal vector theory has centred on bats since the beginning of the pandemic, meaning raccoon dogs could be a new intermediate animal vector between bats and humans. Still others contend the virus could have leaked from a lab.
The most important thing is preparation for the future, Bogoch said.
“It’s important to understand where this virus came from. But on the other hand too, regardless of where it came from … we need to be prepared,” he said.
“We need early detection systems globally so that we know that there’s an issue well before it becomes a much bigger issue, we need to have support for public health systems all over the planet, we need a response plane that’s not just Canada but a global response plan.”
Click the video above this article to watch the full interview with Dr. Isaac Bogoch
COVID-19 COVERAGE
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
4 youth killed fishing on Quebec shore after tide overtakes them
Four children were killed and one man is missing after they were swept away by the tide while fishing in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a riverside community in Quebec's Côte-Nord region.
Fighting climate change or funding fossil fuels? America wants it 'both ways': U.S. ambassador
The U.S. Ambassador to Canada says America 'absolutely wants to have it both ways' when it comes to fighting climate change while pursuing fossil fuel projects.
Antipsychotic drugs use increased in Canadian long-term care homes, pointing to possible quality-of-care issues: study
New study finds increase in antipsychotic drugs use in long-term care homes across Canada, despite no significant increase in behavioural symptoms – something that may expose a potential area of concern for quality of care, researchers say.
More than 5,000 new species discovered at future deep-sea mining site in Pacific Ocean
More than 5,000 new species have been discovered at an expansive future deep-sea mining site in the Pacific Ocean.
Ukraine says inspections found nearly a quarter of its air-raid shelters locked or unusable
Concerns around civilian safety spiked in Ukraine on Saturday, as officials announced that an inspection had found nearly a quarter of the country's air-raid shelters locked or unusable, just days after a woman in Kyiv allegedly died waiting outside a shuttered shelter during a Russian missile barrage.
Pope warns of risk of corruption in missionary fundraising after AP investigation
Pope Francis warned the Vatican's missionary fundraisers on Saturday not to allow financial corruption to creep into their work, insisting that spirituality and spreading the Gospel must drive their operations, not mere entrepreneurship.
Feds open to cutting plastic production but global agreement will be hard: Guilbeault
Canada is open to the idea of including a requirement to cut back on the production of plastic in a new global treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Friday.
Here's what Nova Scotia's wildfires look like from outer space
Photos released by NASA taken from International Space Station show the immense scale of the wildfires in Nova Scotia, with billowing smoke engulfing the landscape.
Notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo moved to medium-security prison in Quebec
Notorious serial rapist and killer Paul Bernardo was moved to a medium-security prison in Quebec this week.
Canada
-
4 youth killed fishing on Quebec shore after tide overtakes them
Four children were killed and one man is missing after they were swept away by the tide while fishing in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a riverside community in Quebec's Côte-Nord region.
-
Inuit, environmental groups praise cruises for agreeing to avoid Eclipse Sound
A marine conservation charity and Inuit hunters are praising cruise operators for agreeing to avoid a Nunavut waterway where thousands of narwhal migrate each summer.
-
'Many, many lives turned upside down' by wildfires: N.S. premier
Nova Scotia’s premier says the “historic” wildfires in the province have caused a “breath-taking amount of damage.”
-
Notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo moved to medium-security prison in Quebec
Notorious serial rapist and killer Paul Bernardo was moved to a medium-security prison in Quebec this week.
-
Activists in Canada aim to carry torch for Hong Kong's silenced Tiananmen vigil
Some members of Canada's Chinese diaspora are feeling the pressure to carry the torch as Hong Kong's renowned vigil commemorating the June 4, 1989, massacre in Beijing's Tiananmen Square falls silent.
-
Marineland did not provide adequate water source to bear cubs, Ontario alleges
Marineland failed to provide three bear cubs permanent and adequate water sources as well as climbing structures, Ontario alleges in court documents.
World
-
Ukraine says inspections found nearly a quarter of its air-raid shelters locked or unusable
Concerns around civilian safety spiked in Ukraine on Saturday, as officials announced that an inspection had found nearly a quarter of the country's air-raid shelters locked or unusable, just days after a woman in Kyiv allegedly died waiting outside a shuttered shelter during a Russian missile barrage.
-
Hong Kong detains 8 people on eve of Tiananmen Square anniversary
Hong Kong police detained eight people, including activists and artists, on the eve of the 34th anniversary of China's Tiananmen Square crackdown, a move that signals the city's shrinking freedom of expression.
-
Protesters back on the streets of Belgrade as president ignores calls to stand down
Thousands of people rallied in Serbia's capital on Saturday for a fifth time in a month, following two mass shootings that shook the nation, even as the country's populist president rejected any responsibility for the crisis and ignored the protesters' demands to step down.
-
UN agency for Palestinian refugees raises just US$107 million of US$300 million needed
Despite a dire warning from the United Nations chief that the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees "is on the verge of financial collapse," donors at a pledging conference on Friday provided just US$107 million in new funds -- significantly less than the US$300 million it needs to keep helping millions of people.
-
Biden signs debt ceiling bill that pulls U.S. back from brink of unprecedented default
With just two days to spare, U.S. President Joe Biden signed legislation on Saturday that lifts the nation's debt ceiling, averting an unprecedented default on the federal government's debt.
-
Pope warns of risk of corruption in missionary fundraising after AP investigation
Pope Francis warned the Vatican's missionary fundraisers on Saturday not to allow financial corruption to creep into their work, insisting that spirituality and spreading the Gospel must drive their operations, not mere entrepreneurship.
Politics
-
Feds open to cutting plastic production but global agreement will be hard: Guilbeault
Canada is open to the idea of including a requirement to cut back on the production of plastic in a new global treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Friday.
-
Canada to 'significantly' enhance military presence in Indo-Pacific region: Anand
Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canada is committed to the support of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, and is reinforcing its military presence in the region.
-
Fighting climate change or funding fossil fuels? America wants it 'both ways': U.S. ambassador
The U.S. Ambassador to Canada says America 'absolutely wants to have it both ways' when it comes to fighting climate change while pursuing fossil fuel projects.
Health
-
Antipsychotic drugs use increased in Canadian long-term care homes, pointing to possible quality-of-care issues: study
New study finds increase in antipsychotic drugs use in long-term care homes across Canada, despite no significant increase in behavioural symptoms – something that may expose a potential area of concern for quality of care, researchers say.
-
Experts warn of 'rapid' growth of IBD as number of Canadians diagnosed set to reach 470K by 2035
The number of people in Canada with inflammatory bowel disease is increasing rapidly and is expected to grow to 470,000 by 2035, according to a new report from Crohn's and Colitis Canada.
-
Black men were likely underdiagnosed with lung problems because of bias in software, study suggests
Racial bias built into a common medical test for lung function is likely leading to fewer Black patients getting care for breathing problems, a study published Thursday suggests.
Sci-Tech
-
Twitter's head of trust and safety says she has resigned
Twitter's head of trust and safety, Ella Irwin, told Reuters on Thursday that she has resigned from the social media company, which has faced criticism for lax protections against harmful content since billionaire Elon Musk acquired it in October.
-
Woman walking on California beach finds ancient mastodon tooth
A woman taking a Memorial Day weekend stroll on a California beach found something unusual sticking out of the sand: a tooth from an ancient mastodon.
-
Newly discovered stone tools drag dawn of Greek archaeology back by a quarter-million years
Deep in an open coal mine in southern Greece, researchers have discovered the antiquities-rich country's oldest archaeological site, which dates to 700,000 years ago and is associated with modern humans' hominin ancestors. The find announced Thursday would drag the dawn of Greek archaeology back by as much as a quarter of a million years, although older hominin sites have been discovered elsewhere in Europe. The oldest, in Spain, dates to more than a million years ago.
Entertainment
-
Acclaimed composer Kaija Saariaho dies at age 70 of brain tumour
Kaija Saariaho, who wrote acclaimed works that made her the among the most prominent composers of the 21st century, died Friday at the age of 70.
-
Christopher Nolan breaks down the best ways to watch a movie, ahead of his 'Oppenheimer' release
In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, director Christopher Nolan offers a guide to his favourite formats, explaining why it matters and even where he likes to sit so that audiences don't feel like they need a film school degree (or one in theoretical physics) before settling on a theatre.
-
Cynthia Weil, Grammy winning lyricist who had hits with husband Barry Mann, dead at 82
Cynthia Weil, a Grammy-winning lyricist of notable range and endurance who enjoyed a decades-long partnership with husband Barry Mann and helped write 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling,' 'On Broadway,' 'Walking in the Rain' and dozens of other hits, has died at age 82.
Business
-
Walt Disney's Pixar targets 'Lightyear' execs among 75 job cuts
Walt Disney's Pixar Animation Studios has eliminated 75 positions including those of two executives behind box office disappointment 'Lightyear,' sources said on Saturday, the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade.
-
Air Canada should face more consequences after two disruptions in a week, consumer advocate says
An airline consumer advocate says Air Canada should face tougher consequences for stranding passengers after two disruptions in a week.
-
Air Canada says to expect further travel disruptions following Thursday's IT issues
Air Canada says travellers should be prepared for further flight disruptions as it works to return service to normal following a technical malfunction Thursday.
Lifestyle
-
Ryan Gosling has a hilarious response to those who say he’s ‘too old’ to play Ken in ‘Barbie’ movie
Ryan Gosling channelled his “Ken-ergy” to defend himself against those who think he’s “too old” to play doll Ken in the new “Barbie” movie.
-
Meet the 14-year-old who won the Scripps National Spelling Bee with 'psammophile'
Dev, a 14-year-old from Largo, Florida, wins the National Spelling Bee.
-
Edmonton librarian takes second place in Jeopardy! debut
Kyle Marshall has always loved trivia and recently he got to show the world just how much.
Sports
-
Rafael Nadal is expected to miss 5 more months after having hip surgery
Rafael Nadal is expected to need about five months to recover from arthroscopic surgery on his left hip, a timeline that likely would keep him out for the rest of this season.
-
Verstappen takes pole at Spanish GP ahead of Sainz; Alonso 8th
Max Verstappen stormed his way to pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday while his top rivals struggled on the damp track and will start well behind the two-time defending champion.
-
Elena Rybakina, reigning Wimbledon champion, pulls out of French Open because she is sick
Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina pulled out of the French Open before her third-round match on Saturday because she is sick.
Autos
-
Volkswagen reboots its groovy 60s-era VW Bus. This time it's faster, roomier and electric
America apparently needs more car seats. So, when Volkswagen unveiled the ID. Buzz, a retro-styled electric van, last year, it noted that the version for the North American market would be longer and would have three rows of seats.
-
Vehicle sales rise in May, showing hope for strong summer: DesRosiers
DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. says May brought hope after several years of disrupted sales patterns, as vehicle sales rose.
-
110,000 Honda vehicles recalled in Canada due to crash risks
More than 110,000 Honda vehicles are subject to a recall in Canada, due to the risk of rusting rear frames causing a crash.
