Baku, July 20, AZERTAC Searching for the origin of viruses, including the novel coronavirus now ravaging the world, is an extremely difficult and complicated undertaking prone to many uncertainties. But according to experts, one thing is for sure -- the quest should be underpinned by scientific evidence, rather than politically motivated speculation, China Daily.com.cn reports. "Whenever a major infectious disease breaks out, one of the first questions raised by scientists and the public is: Where did it come from?" said Su Jingjing, a professor at the Peking University's School of Health Humanities. "Hunting down a virus's origin, understanding how it is introduced into the human population and how it spreads further will enable medical and public health experts to better cope with the disease and prevent future outbreaks," she added.