Latest reports claim that the coronavirus 'patient zero' is allegedly a 57-year-old woman, Wei Guixian, who is a seafood seller in Hunan market in Wuhan. Along with Chinese media, The Wall Street Journal also published a report that claimed that Wei is one of the first suspected cases of coronavirus reported in China. Though not confirmed, as of current research, Wei is likely to be 'patient zero.'
Wei, who is a shrimp merchant is said to have contracted coronavirus inside the market toilet. The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission stated that Wei was among the first 27 patients to test positive for the coronavirus. It also said that she was one of 24 people with coronavirus who had history of visiting or working in the seafood market.
Wei the probable patient zero?
Wei Guixian started feeling ill and visited a clinic for the first time on December 10, 2019. She took medicine for flu and returned to work at the market. But her condition got worse, she went to get a second opinion at The Eleventh Hospital in Wuhan. There too her illness was not identified, instead she was given pills. A week later she was barely conscious and visited the Wuhan Union Hospital on December 16 for a proper check up.
The doctor is said to have explained her disease as ruthless and also told her that many other people also had similar symptoms. She was quarantined since last week of December. By then reports of connection between the seafood market and respiratory illness was out.
Her disease was diagnosed as coronavirus on December 31
Her illness was diagnosed as coronavirus on December 31. As per reports, the Chinese government has identified at least 266 people who were infected with coronavirus in 2019. Being the first case reported, Wei's name is being considered as patient zero, but there is no official confirmation on the same yet. In earlier reports a Chinese newspaper 'Global Media' had claimed that a US military cyclist was the source of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The report published on March 25 cited US conspiracy theorist George Webb and claimed that the virus was developed in US military lab and was transmitted to China through cyclist Maatje Benassi who took part in the World Military Games held in Wuhan in October. Before this, US had accused China of developing the virus and transmitting it to the world.
