CIA Updates Covid-19 Origin Assessment, Leans Towards Lab-Leak Theory
The CIA has revised its assessment on the origins of Covid-19, now believing it’s more likely that the virus emerged from a lab-leak incident rather than naturally. In a statement released over the weekend, the agency stated with low confidence that “a research-related origin of the Covid-19 pandemic is more likely than a natural origin.”
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who has previously voiced support for the lab-leak theory, made the assessment a priority upon his confirmation. The Washington Post reported that the CIA’s assessment was completed before Ratcliffe’s swearing-in but was declassified at his direction.
The debate surrounding Covid-19’s origins has long been contentious, with two main theories emerging. One suggests natural zoonotic transmission from animals to humans, while another proposes an accidental leak from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, where the pandemic first began. The Chinese government has dismissed the lab-leak theory.
US authorities remain divided on the issue. While some agencies lean towards the lab-leak theory, others still favor the natural origin theory. In November, former CDC Director Robert Redfield claimed Covid-19 was intentionally engineered as part of a biodefense program, suggesting substantial US involvement in relevant research.