Abdm28
It's understandable why some people still hold onto the idea that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak in Wuhan, as it's a theory that has been discussed widely. However, current scientific evidence strongly supports a natural origin. According to multiple studies, the virus likely jumped from animals to humans, similar to other coronaviruses like SARS and MERS.
Research published in Nature and Science (
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9) suggests that the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan was the initial epicenter, with multiple animal species sold there that could have transmitted the virus to humans. Additionally, genomic studies of the virus have shown no signs of genetic manipulation, a key argument against the lab-leak theory .
Though investigations have been conducted to explore the lab-leak hypothesis, including by the WHO and U.S. intelligence agencies, there hasn't been conclusive evidence supporting this theory. Many virologists and infectious disease experts argue that natural zoonotic spillover events are far more common and likely than accidental lab releases .