@mojo

I agree the probability is small, but I like to think tinfoil. It entertains me. But if we're going down this road, such a conspiracy doesn't necessarily need the willful compliance of regular scientists and doctors. I use the term "hoax" pretty loosely, so if, for example, this is a lab virus deliberately released, and we're being told it's a natural event, then this fits into my loose definition of "hoax".

Could you prove this isn't a lab virus? Who could?