The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has released a report stating that there is no direct evidence of a “biosafety incident” or the presence of the COVID-19 virus at a laboratory in Wuhan, China prior to the pandemic.
This newly declassified document provides additional details on the ongoing investigation into the origins of the pandemic, but does not make a definitive assessment on whether the outbreak started at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
The report reveals that some lab researchers at the institute were at a higher risk of accidental exposure to viruses due to inadequate safety precautions, and several fell ill in the fall of 2019. However, U.S. intelligence agencies remain divided on whether the pandemic was a result of natural transmission or an accidental lab leak.
The report also mentions that while some scientists at the institute were conducting genetic engineering experiments on coronaviruses, there is no evidence to suggest that such work was done on the virus that causes COVID-19. Most agencies studying the issue believe that the virus was not genetically engineered.
Furthermore, the report states that some WIV researchers showed symptoms consistent with COVID-19 in 2019, while others had symptoms unrelated to the disease or were confirmed to have been sick with other illnesses. This makes it unclear whether these illnesses support or refute either hypothesis of the pandemic’s origins.
The Chinese government has consistently denied that the virus originated in the Wuhan lab and accused the U.S. of politicizing the issue. In previous assessments, U.S. intelligence agencies had identified two plausible theories – natural transmission or a lab accident – and this breakdown remains consistent in the current report.
Five intelligence entities believe the virus originated naturally, while the FBI and the Department of Energy favor the lab leak theory for different reasons. The CIA and another agency are unable to make a determination without further information.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner and Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Brad Wenstrup issued a joint statement, asserting that ODNI’s report strengthens the lab leak theory and emphasizing the need for further investigation.
In March, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines highlighted the lack of cooperation from China as a critical gap in understanding the origins of the pandemic. She acknowledged the challenging nature of the issue and the efforts being made to uncover the truth with the available information.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
