Did Covid-19 virus originate in US? China peddles new theory, plays down lab leak

The lab leak allegation had resurfaced after the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in January, assessed that the virus was more likely to have originated in a Chinese lab than from nature.

A white paper released by China has played down allegations that Covid-19 was leaked from a lab in Wuhan and suggested that the virus may have originated in the US, according to a Reuters report. The development comes shortly after the US administration led by president Donald Trump doubled down on the accusation and criticised former President Joe Biden, former top US health official Anthony Fauci and the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to the white paper, released by state-run Xinhua news agency, the Chinese administration wants the next step in origin-tracing work to focus on the US. “Substantial evidence suggested the COVID-19 might have emerged in the United States earlier than its officially-claimed timeline, and earlier than the outbreak in China," it read.

The report states China cited a lawsuit filed against them in the US related to hoarding of protective medical equipment, which led to a $24 billion ruling against them, to highlight that the US was more interested in politicising the issue than addressing the concerns of the international community. China stressed that the lab leak allegation was put to rest in the joint study conducted by them alongside WHO.

The lab leak allegation had resurfaced after the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in January, assessed that the virus was more likely to have originated in a Chinese lab than from nature. However, the agency had maintained that they had low confidence over the assessment. “Both lab origin and natural origin remain plausible,” it had added.