I didn't click the link because I don't want to give them views. Unlimited WHATABOUTISM replies when you point out the United States is currently dealing with Bird Flu, Listeria, and more covid variants because Americans won't mask, vaccinate, or quarantine.
Afaik the direct ancestor hasn’t been found, but every coronavirus from which Covid-19 evolved comes from Southeast Asia. SARS splits off a bit before evolution into Covid-19 so the one can’t be descended from the other.
That’s my understanding at least. Vietnam, Cambodia, anywhere in that region I’m willing to accept, but beyond that I think you need lab leak to make the theory work. Fort Detrick I’m not opposed to but there are mountains of evidence pointing to natural origins and calling into question not just lab leak from China, but lab leak in general, so I’m more inclined towards natural origins.
Looking into this more rn it seems another reason China was identified as the origin point is because initially that was where we found COVID’s closest known relative - in Yunnan specifically. However it seems that even closer relatives have now been found in Laos. Still not a direct ancestor, but you might be right that Covid didn’t originate in China itself.