COVID-19 Bioweapon Theory Sparks Controversy Among Scientists

In April 2020, Ranawaka Perera prepared breakfast for his wife, Li-Meng Yan, a virologist at the University of Hong Kong. Concerned about her anxiety regarding the origins of COVID-19, he pressed her to eat, but she was too stressed.

Dr. Yan believed the virus was intentionally created in a lab and released by the Chinese government, a theory disputed by her husband, who suggested the virus could have emerged from an accident. Amid their escalating tensions, Dr.

Yan vanished from their home, leaving behind a note referencing their pet names. She fled to the United States, supported by allies of former President Trump who promoted her unproven theories about COVID-19's origins.

The controversy surrounding her claims and the ensuing family separation underscore the broader debate about the pandemic's origins and the impact of misinformation on public health narratives.