Recent WHO report does not dismiss possibility of COVID-19 originating from a lab leak, while China hinders investigation progress

A panel from the World Health Organization (WHO) recently published a report on the origins of COVID-19, indicating that the available data indicates the virus most likely originated from animals, specifically bats or through another animal as an intermediate host.

The report, produced by the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), which comprises 27 independent experts from various countries and disciplines, mentioned that essential information required to thoroughly analyze all hypotheses is currently lacking.

Despite the limited data, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underlined the importance of considering all potential causes, including zoonotic transfer and a potential accidental release from a laboratory.

Members of the World Health Organization team tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus disease arrive at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China. (Reuters/Thomas Peter. File)

“As the report says, this is not solely a scientific endeavor, it is a moral and ethical imperative,” Marietjie Venter, chair of the group, wrote in a statement. “Understanding the origins of SARS-CoV-2 and how it sparked a pandemic is needed to help prevent future pandemics, save lives and livelihoods, and reduce global suffering.”

“The work to understand the origins of SARS-CoV-2 remains unfinished,” the WHO wrote in a statement. “WHO welcomes any further evidence on the origins of COVID-19, and SAGO remains committed to reviewing any new information should it become available.”