Conspiracy Theories Related to The Coronavirus

The Wuhan Flu, Coronavirus, COVID-19 or the Chinese Virus, these are some of the names of the new virus that has brought the world to a standstill. The world knows this virus by the name Coronavirus or COVID-19. The virus first appeared in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019 and ever since then, the world has been brought to a standstill. Every continent in this world has fallen victim to the virus and has killed more than 2 lakh people around the world. More than 23 lakh people are said to be infected by this deadly virus. With every news outlet reporting the virus, it is natural that more strange stories would be reported. From the first ever report that stated that the virus appeared in a seafood market in Wuhan, we have seen a number of strange conspiracy theories relating to the virus. A number of people who believe in conspiracy theories have come up with their own idea about what’s actually happening. We take a look at some of the more unbelievable conspiracy theories related to the Coronavirus.

Conspiracy theories about the Coronavirus

• The US Government: Perhaps the wildest conspiracy theories related to the Coronavirus Pandemic is that the US Government created the virus in the first place. The claim was put forward by a Russian news agency during a live broadcast. The agency claimed that the USA created the virus to sell vaccines to the Chinese government. The theory is quite strange but has been rampant among conspiracy lovers since the virus outbreak was reported.
• Bill Gates: You might be confused as to how Bill Gates fits into conspiracy theories relating to the Coronavirus. In October 2019, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation collaborated with the World Economic Forum and the John Hopkins Center for Health Security to test how prepared we were for an epidemic. As fate would have it, the Coronavirus Pandemic showed up two months later. Conspiracy Theorists state that the program was a prelude to the pandemic. As predicted, the John Hopkins Center for Health Security has denied any link between the event and the pandemic.
• The Chinese Government: This is one of the most popular conspiracy theories relating to the Coronavirus. Some say that the Chinese Government created the Coronavirus as part of its biological weapon program. They state that the virus was leaked from a lab causing the pandemic. The lab in question is the National Biosafety Lab, located in Wuhan, the same city which was the epicenter of the breakout. It is also the only Chinese Government owned facility that can conduct research into deadly viruses. Right after, the Chinese President, Xi Jiniping had the Ministry of Science and Technology issue orders on securing their labs to prevent viruses from escaping.
• October Meteorite Explosion: In October, 2019, a meteorite exploded in the sky of northeast China. Conspiracy theories now say that the meteorite brought the virus from space. Scientists have universally rejected the claim saying the meteor did not land on the ground so it is highly unlikely. The virus, according to scientists originated on earth and shares a lot in common with SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Virus)
• Consumption of Bats: Speculations are high that humans contacted the virus from bats. Scientists are yet to verify the claim but conspiracy theories state that someone consumed bats in China leading to the virus being spread. But when pictures of a Chinese food vlogger consuming ‘bat soup’ went viral, the government was forced to step in and clarify that the video was old and was shot more than three years ago. Either way, the damage was already done and conspiracy theorists had a field day with it.

Conspiracy Theories that seem unbelievable

A number of conspiracy theories have been rampant relating to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Theories as outlandish as ‘revenge’ by governments fighting with each other have been flooding the internet as well. Since the virus originated in China, most conspiracy theories point at the unusual food habits in some areas of the country as the main factor behind the origin of the virus. Either way, the virus has caused the world to come to a standstill and no amount of theories may be helpful in changing this crisis.