CIA suggests lab leak likely source of Covid-19 outbreak

CIA assesses covid likely leaked from a Chinese lab, but conclusion made with "low confidence."

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The CIA has released a new assessment on the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, stating it is "more likely" that the virus leaked from a Chinese laboratory than emerged naturally from animals.

However, the agency noted that this determination is made with "low confidence," indicating a lack of definitive and conclusive intelligence.

The assessment, shared on Saturday, marks an early decision by the CIA's new director, John Ratcliffe, who was appointed by President Donald Trump earlier this week.

Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, has been a proponent of the lab leak theory, which suggests the virus may have originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The institute is located near the Huanan wet market, where the first cluster of infections was reported.

A CIA spokesperson explained that the assessment was based on existing reports, suggesting a "research-related origin" is more likely than a natural one.

The agency clarified that this conclusion does not stem from new intelligence, and the review was reportedly completed during the final weeks of the Biden administration before being made public under Ratcliffe’s leadership.

While the lab leak hypothesis has gained traction among some intelligence agencies, it remains contentious within the scientific community, with many experts asserting that there is insufficient evidence to support it.

Proponents of the natural origin theory argue that the virus likely spread from animals to humans without any laboratory involvement.

China has consistently denied the lab leak claims, dismissing them as politically motivated accusations by the United States.

The debate over Covid-19's origins remains unresolved, with no global consensus.

In 2023, FBI Director Christopher Wray also stated his agency's assessment that a "potential lab incident" was the most likely origin of the pandemic.

However, like the CIA's new evaluation, these claims are based on low-confidence intelligence.