Rumours of a viral war

An item from the Legion Magazine.

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HMCS Matane meets a U-boat

Story by Sharon Adams

It was not a nice day at sea on April 22, 1944, when Escort Group 9, patrolling near Iceland, picked up an echo on their ASDIC sonar equipment.

“It was a cracking echo and very soon it became obvious that this really was a U-boat,” wrote Royal Navy Commander A.F.C. Layard, aboard HMCS Matane, the senior officer’s ship, leading HMC ships Swansea and Stormont.

Rumours of a viral war

Story by Stephen J. Thorne

If the rumours are to be believed, the current pandemic that has locked us all in our homes began in a Chinese laboratory. Or is that an American one? Both stories are out there.

The fact is that medical researchers from all over the world who have no stake in global politics say it’s neither. They say they have traced COVID-19 to a wet market in Wuhan and it likely came from a bat. It’s as simple as that.

Nevertheless, the rumours and the actual source of the virus has been exploited by racists, nativists and xenophobes intent on driving a wedge between ethnic groups.