Researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China have recently announced the discovery of a new virus carried by bats that could infect human and other mammal cells by binding to a protein present in their bodies. This virus, not yet detected in people, has been identified in a laboratory and raises the possibility of potential transmission from animals to humans.
The CIA, in an analysis presented in January 2025, blames China as responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that the virus likely originated in a laboratory. However, the agency shows "little confidence" in this conclusion, which was requested by the Biden administration and former CIA Director William Burns. This report is not based on new information but rather on a prior assessment.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology has been recognized for its study of bat coronaviruses, and it has been speculated that the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 may have leaked from that laboratory. The latest discovery of the virus in question, which uses a similar entry mechanism to the virus that causes COVID-19, raises concerns about its potential transmission to humans, although it has only been identified in the laboratory so far.
On the other hand, the MERS coronavirus, also carried by bats and related to this newly discovered virus, has affected about 2,600 people worldwide from 2012 to May 2024, with a mortality rate of 36%. Despite these connections, Chinese authorities have dismissed speculations about the origins of COVID-19, deeming them politically motivated and unhelpful.
The CIA report, declassified and published in January, has generated controversy by suggesting that a lab origin for COVID-19 is more likely than a natural one, although the evidence presented by the agency is considered low quality, contradictory, or inconclusive. Reactions to this report have varied, with some vaccine manufacturers, such as Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, seeing an increase in their stock value following the announcement.
In conclusion, the discussion surrounding the origins of COVID-19 remains controversial, with different parties offering diverse interpretations of the findings and conclusions presented.