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.
The Energy Department has now joined the FBI in lending support to the new finding, classified as being made with "low confidence", as the source of the global pandemic. The Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) research facility is less than 10 miles from an animal slaughter market where the first series of human cases were clustered.
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.
