A group of 14 countries has raised concerns over a new report by the World Health Organization into the origin of the coronavirus, citing delays and a lack of full access to data, while the agency’s own chief called for further investigation into a theory the outbreak was the result of a laboratory leak.
The WHO team composed of 17 international experts concluded in the report it was extremely unlikely COVID-19 sprang from a lab leak, a position that was first advanced by the United States last year. China has strongly rejected such allegations.
The scientists say it was likely to very likely that the virus was introduced among humans through an intermediate host, and that it was possible-to-likely that the virus was transmitted to humans from animals.