Animals ‘the likely source of Covid-19’
A JOINT World Health Organisation-china study on the origins of Covid-19 says transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario for its emergence.
The possibility of a lab leak was “extremely unlikely”, according to a draft copy of the study’s findings obtained by The Associated Press.
The findings were largely as expected and left many questions unanswered. The team proposed further research in every area except the lab leak hypothesis.
The report’s release has been repeatedly delayed, raising questions about whether the Chinese side was trying to skew the conclusions to prevent blame for the pandemic falling on China.
The AP received what appeared to be a near-final version yesterday from a Geneva-based diplomat from a Who-member country. It was not clear whether the report might still be changed prior to its release. The diplomat did not want to be identified because they were not authorised to release it ahead of publication today.
The researchers listed four scenarios in order of likelihood. They concluded that transmission through a second animal was likely to very likely.
They evaluated direct spread from bats to humans as likely, and said that spread through “coldchain” food products was possible but not likely. The closest relative of the virus that causes Covid-19 has been found in bats, which are known to carry coronaviruses.
However, the report says that “the evolutionary distance between these bat viruses and SARS-COV-2 is estimated to be several decades, suggesting a missing link”.
It said highly similar viruses have been found in pangolins, but also noted that mink and cats are susceptible to the Covid virus, which suggests they could be carriers.
The report is based largely on a visit by a WHO team of international experts to Wuhan, the Chinese city where Covid-19 was first detected, from mid-january to midfebruary.
Peter Ben Embarek, the WHO expert who led the Wuhan mission, said on Friday that the report had been finalised and was being factchecked and translated.
WHO Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged he had received the report over the weekend and said it would be formally presented today.
“We will read the report and discuss, digest its content and next steps with member states,” he told a news conference in Geneva.
“But as I have said, all hypotheses are on the table and warrant complete and further studies from what I have seen so far.”