A very early genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 was posted by Chinese researchers, then removed (probably because of Chinese government pressure). However, a few western researchers grabbed the sequence before it was removed and analyzed it. As well as viral sequence, the sample had raccoon dog DNA sequences associated with it (as contaminants), implying that this extremely early virus sample came from raccoon dogs. It’s known that raccoon dogs were kept in the wet market that’s been implicated in very early COVID19 transmission, and raccoon dogs are highly susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, so it’s a consistent story.

It’s unfortunate that the Chinese government are obviously trying to suppress this, because if they’d simply make available the info about this there would be less space for the silly conspiracy theories.

Here’s the WHO statement, which explains a little more and shows the level of frustration they have with the Chinese government: SAGO statement on newly released SARS-CoV-2 metagenomics data from China CDC on GISAID

> …samples collected from the environment and animals within the market in early 2020, 73/923 environmental samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2-specific RT-qPCR, from various stalls and sewerage systems in and around the market … the presence of high levels of raccoon dog mitochondrial DNA in the metagenomics data from environmental samples identified in the new analysis, suggest that raccoon dog and other animals may have been present before the market was cleaned as part of the public health intervention…