Evidence indicates coronavirus evolved in nature

The virus that led to the COVID-19 pandemic evolved in nature, and suggestions of a laboratory-leak source “remain without scientifically validated evidence”, a group of international scientists wrote in The Lancet medical journal.

In a letter published on Monday, 24 physicians, veterinarians, epidemiologists, virologists, biologists, ecologists and public health experts from around the world dismissed the lab-leak notion, as recent, peer-reviewed studies strongly suggest that COVID-19 has a natural origin.

In February last year, the same team of scientists wrote in a letter, also published in The Lancet, saying: “We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin.”

In the new letter, which ran under the headline “Science, not speculation, is essential to determine how SARS-CoV-2 reached humans”, the group writes, “Recently, many of us have individually received inquiries asking whether we still support what we said in early 2020.

“The answer is clear: We reaffirm our expression of solidarity with those in China who confronted the outbreak then, and the many health professionals around the world who have since worked to exhaustion, and at personal risk, in the relentless and continuing battle against this virus. Our respect and gratitude have only grown with time.”

The authors said their original letter was also intended to express their working view that SARSCoV-2 “most likely” originated in nature and not in a laboratory.

This view was based on early genetic analysis of the new virus and “well-established evidence” from previous emerging infectious diseases, including the coronaviruses that cause the common cold as well as the original SARSCoV and MERS-CoV, they wrote.

SARS-CoV-2 stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus that causes COVID-19, while MERS is short for Middle East respiratory syndrome, another viral respiratory illness.