中國—世界衛生組織新冠病毒溯源研究聯合專家組2月9日在武漢舉行新聞發布會，通報共同開展新冠病毒全球溯源中國部分的工作情況。

A sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus occured in Wuhan at the end of 2019. China took prompt action, actively released epidemic information, and adopted the most comprehensive and strict prevention and control measures, achieving notable results.
2019年底，新冠肺炎疫情在武漢市暴發，中國迅速采取行動，主動通報疫情信息，采取最全面最嚴格的防控措施，疫情防控取得顯著成效。

According to an agreement between China and the WHO in July 2020, an international expert WHO team arrived in Wuhan on Jan 14. They formed a joint body with Chinese experts for the Chinese part of the global study on the novel coronavirus origins.
按照中國與世衛組織2020年7月商定的工作任務書，世衛組織派出國際專家組2021年1月14日抵達武漢，與中方專家組成聯合專家組，共同開展全球溯源中國部分工作。

The team studied a massive amount of epidemic-related data and visited nine facilities, including Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Huanan seafood market, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team conducted extensive exchanges with local medical workers, lab researchers, scientists, and market managers. They also interviewed social workers, community workers, residents, recovered patients, and families of medical workers who lost their lives in the epidemic.
聯合專家組共同研究了大量的疫情相關數據資料，現場考察了包括金銀潭醫院、華南海鮮市場、中科院武漢病毒研究所在內的9家單位，與醫務人員、實驗室人員、科研人員、市場管理人員及商戶、社區工作者、康復患者、犧牲醫務人員家屬、居民等進行廣泛交流。

聯合研究成果已基本形成，主要包括：

A coronavirus with high similarity to the novel coronavirus in gene sequences occurs in bats and pangolins. But the similarity is still not enough to make it a direct ancestor of the novel coronavirus. Bats, pangolins, weasels, cats, and other species all could be potential natural hosts.
在蝙蝠和穿山甲中發現了與新冠病毒基因序列具有高度相似性冠狀病毒，但相似度尚不足以使其成為新冠病毒的直接祖先；蝙蝠、穿山甲或者鼬科、貓科動物，以及其他物種都可能是潛在的自然宿主。

The virus was found in environmental tests at the Huanan seafood market after its closure, especially in its aquatic product stalls. The coronavirus at the market might have been introduced through channels such as infected people, contaminated cold chain products, and animal products, but it is still uncertain.
華南海鮮市場關閉后的環境檢測普遍發現新冠病毒污染，其中水產攤位尤為明顯，華南海鮮市場新冠病毒可能通過感染者、被污染的冷鏈產品、動物產品等途徑引入，但尚無法確定。

No positive results occurred in large-scale testing of animal products in the market. No novel coronavirus was found either in samples of bats in Hubei province or large numbers of livestock, poultry, and wild animals across China.
對該市場的動物產品大規模檢測未發現陽性，對湖北省蝙蝠以及中國各地大量的家畜家禽、野生動物采樣監測均未發現新冠病毒。

In December 2019, the novel coronavirus spread among people on a certain scale in Wuhan, with most cases occurring in the second half of the month. A study on the early ones showed that as there were novel coronavirus cases in the market, there were also such cases in other areas of Wuhan at the same time.
2019年12月，武漢市人群中發生了新冠病毒一定規模傳播，大部分病例集中在下半月。早期病例搜索及分析顯示，華南海鮮市場出現病例的同時，武漢市其他地方也有病例發生。

The experts identified four hypotheses for the source of the transmission of the novel coronavirus to the human population, including direct zoonotic spillover, the cold-chain food, an intermediary host species, and a laboratory-related incident.
聯合專家組對新冠病毒從自然宿主直接傳播和通過冷鏈食品、中間宿主、實驗室等四種引入人類途徑的可能性進行了科學評估。

評估結論分為“極不可能（extremely unlikely）”“不可能（unlikely）”“可能（likely）”“比較可能（most likely）”“非常可能（very likely）”5個層級。

專家組認為：

Introduction through an intermediary host species is "the most likely" passway.
新冠病毒“比較可能”是經中間宿主引入人類。

Direct transmission or introduction through cold-chain food is also likely.
“可能”是直接傳播或者通過冷鏈食品引入人類。

A laboratory incident is "extremely unlikely" as the cause of COVID-19.
“極不可能”是通過實驗室引入人類。

聯合專家組還對下一步全球溯源工作提出了建議。

【相關詞匯】

新冠病毒溯源
origin-tracing of the novel coronavirus

中間宿主
intermediary host

自然宿主
natural host

基因序列
gene sequence

人類衛生健康共同體
a global community of health for all

全球公共衛生治理
global public health governance

參考來源：新華網

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen）