CIA says COVID-19 could be from China lab leak

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) shifted its stance on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought the world to a standstill a few years back. The agency now believes the coronavirus leaked from a lab in China.

It is a huge shift from the national agency’s neutral stand and aligns with statements from John Radcliffe, the newly confirmed CIA director. He believes intelligence and science point to an accidental release from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), where similar viruses were studied.

The debate over the virus’s origin remains contentious. Some scientists, including former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Dr. Anthony Fauci, say it is a natural crossover from bats or other species to humans.

Others cite the coronavirus outbreak’s proximity to research facilities and related US funding documents to WIV as evidence of a lab leak.

China denies the lab leak-origin allegations. America’s speculation holds significant implications for global relations, public health and virus research protocols in China.