Covid's Origins Reviewed: Lab Leak Or Natural Spillover?

Proponents of the lab-leak hypothesis highlight that the earliest known Covid-19 cases emerged in Wuhan, China -- home to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), a major hub for coronavirus research (Credit: AFP)

Whether Covid-19 was unleashed by a laboratory mishap or spilled over from animals remains an enduring, fiercely contested mystery.

Here are the leading arguments that fuel both sides of this debate, as AFP reflects on the virus's impact five years after it reshaped the world.