Frantic contact tracing is now afoot as Communist Party officials seek to stamp out the disease amid concerns it could threaten the 2022 Winter Olympics in February.
The WHO recently released a proposed list of 25 experts to advise it on next steps in the search for the origins of the virus after its earlier efforts were attacked for going too easy on China.
Analyists from research group Internet 2.0 looked at open-source data on contracts involving PCR tests and machines in Hubei province since 2007, before making the discovery.
An investigation has claimed China used aggressive influence on the World Health Organisation to control decision making, sabotage investigations and even install preferred officials.