Spy agencies: Virus wasn’t ‘man-made or genetically modified’

Work goes on to try to identify source of pandemic which originated in China

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Covid-19 was “not man-made or genetically modified”.

But they say they are still examining whether the origins of the pandemic trace to contact with infected animals or an accident at a Chinese lab.

The statement came yesterday from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

It comes as President Donald Trump and his allies have touted the as-yetunproven theory that an infectious disease lab in Wuhan, the epicentre of the Chinese outbreak, was the source of the pandemic that has killed more than 220,000 people worldwide.

The new statement said: “The Intelligence Community also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the Covid-19 virus was not man-made or genetically modified.

“The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added: “The mere fact that we don’t know the answers, that China hasn’t shared the answers, I think is very, very telling.”

Mr Pompeo also pressed China to let outside experts into the lab “so that we can determine precisely where this virus began”.

While Mr Trump and Mr Pompeo have made public statements speculating about the lab, a US intelligence official disputed the notion that there was any pressure on agencies to bolster a particular theory.

The intelligence official was not authorised to publicly discuss the issue and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

Scientists say the virus arose naturally in bats.

Even so, Mr Pompeo and others have pointed fingers at an institute that is run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

It has done groundbreaking research tracing the likely origins of the Sars virus, finding new bat viruses and discovering how they could jump to people.

The Chinese government said any claims that the coronavirus was released from a laboratory were “unfounded and purely fabricated out of nothing”.

Picture: AP. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses reporters at the State Department.

President Trump has speculated that an infectious disease lab in Wuhan was the source of the pandemic.