Harbhajan Singh slams China for 'readying' new pandemic-potential virus amid COVID crisis

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh slammed China for 'readying' yet another mystery virus even as the world reels under the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Indian spinner has been very vocal about China in the past and has lashed out on various occasions, blaming India's neighbour for the origin & spread of COVID-19.

Harbhajan Singh has also been a leading voice in calling for the boycott or ban on Chinese products following China's anti-India activities including an incursion into Indian territory and killing of 20 Indian soldiers along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). His latest statement comes right after India banned 59 China-origin apps.

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Taking to Twitter, Harbhajan Singh expressed anger against China over the finding of a new virus - related to the swine flu - which has pandemic potential, while the world was already in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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New mystery virus originates in China

Even as Coronavirus cases are on a rise worldwide, on Tuesday, a new strain of flu has been identified in China by scientists, as per reports. Scientists say that the virus is carried by pigs, but can infect humans and has the potential to become a pandemic. The new flu strain is similar to the 2009 swine flu, but with some new changes. Called as G4 EA H1N1, scientists say that the available flu vaccine might not be able to provide immunity from the virus. Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists opined that measures should be taken to control the virus swine industry must be monitored. 

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Coronavirus outbreak

China has been facing worldwide criticism after the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus which has so far claimed 508,084 lives and 10,409,239 people have been infected. It is under the scanner for hiding the outbreak of COVID-19, with some reports suggesting that infection related to the virus may have started as early as in August in China.

Another report by US media suggested that the COVID-19 virus might have leaked from lab in Wuhan. It claimed that the initial transmission of the virus was bat-to-human and the "patient zero" worked at the laboratory where it was being studied - the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The United States has also called for an investigation on the outbreak of the virus and has pulled out their funding from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for siding with China. 

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