zlacker

Just because something took 5 years last time does not mean it should take the same this time.

- Our SOP should be better to analyze the information.

- Given the magnitude of the problem, more eyes should be on it

- tools and technologies should be better

It may still take longer, but all things being equal, we should not justify anything based on the past track record.

Your other point is valid though: if 3 people showed up in 1, 2 or 3 hospitals with severe flu, I would not think much of it, no one would.

>>kshack+(OP)
The actual process of finding the viral reservoir is to go off into the wild and collect samples. It has not changed since SARS.

SARS was a very big deal in China and the Chinese government allocated a lot of resources to research. As far as points one and two, that means no real improvement, as it was already in the diminishing return phase.

Because of this I don't actually see why it would be any faster. SARS wasn't the first virus where finding a reservoir was tried, far from it, and the limiting factor in the search for the source is still the same. Because of this I don't expect it should be much easier this time than last time.