London, Europe Brief News – That World Health Organization (WHO) expert group declared intention to open an investigation into COVID origins, including the possibility it was a laboratory accident.
The decision marks a sharp reversal of the UN health agency’s initial assessment of the pandemic’s origins, when it concluded last year it was “extremely unlikely” that COVID-19 might have spilled into humans from a lab.
WHO expert group said “key pieces of data” are still missing to explain how the pandemic began. The scientists said the group would “remain open to any and all scientific evidence that becomes available in the future to allow for comprehensive testing of all reasonable hypotheses”.
It noted since lab accidents in the past have triggered some outbreaks, the highly politicised theory could not be discounted.
The report said all available data showed the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 probably came from animals, likely bats, a similar conclusion to the UN agency’s previous work on the topic in 2021 that followed a trip to China.
The missing data, especially from China, where the first cases were reported in December 2019, meant it was not possible to identify exactly how the virus was first transmitted to humans.
WHO’s expert scientists said numerous avenues of research were needed, including studies evaluating the role of wild animals, which are thought to be COVID-19’s natural reservoir, and environmental studies in places where the virus might have first spread, such as the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan.
