CIA suggests lab leak likely origin of COVID-19: report

The CIA now supports the theory that the coronavirus pandemic may have originated from an accidental lab leak in China.

According to a New York Times report, the CIA’s shift toward favoring the theory is not based on new intelligence but on a reassessment of existing evidence.

The report indicated the agency’s analysis includes a closer examination of conditions at high-security laboratories in Wuhan, China, before the outbreak.

A CIA spokesperson noted other theories remain plausible and emphasized that the agency continues to evaluate any credible new intelligence.

The CIA has long maintained uncertainty about whether the pandemic originated from human exposure to an infected animal or a potential incident at a research lab in China.

New CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate earlier this week, approved declassification of the agency’s new assessment.