'Accidental exposure' to Covid-19 from Wuhan lab likely source of the global pandemic, US report says
The once widely dismissed theory that Covid-19 leaked from a virus lab in Wuhan, China is now the most likely cause, according to a new document. 'Accidental exposure' within the Chinese city is believed to be the most likely origin of the virus according to a classified intelligence report provided to White House officials last week.
There is not yet any evidence for a "lab leak" and officials had previously remained undecided on the origin of the virus. According to The Wall Street Journal, their change in position is noted in a new update to a 2021 document on coronavirus produced by the office of the Director of National Intelligence.
He said: "President Biden specifically requested that the national labs, which are part of the Energy Department, be brought into this assessment because he wants to put every tool at use to be able to figure out what happened here. He added that the government would share it with the American people "if we gain any further insight or information" on the subject but stressed that there was currently not a "definitive answer that has emerged from the intelligence community on this question".
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