The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has assessed that the COVID-19 pandemic is “more likely” to have originated from a lab than through natural transmission, though it maintains “low confidence” in this conclusion, a spokesperson confirmed in a Reuters report on Saturday.
For years, the agency refrained from making a definitive determination on whether the virus stemmed from a lab incident or emerged naturally. However, in the final weeks of the Biden administration, former CIA Director William Burns urged analysts to prioritize clarity, citing the pandemic’s global impact.
Despite the updated assessment, the agency acknowledges that both scenarios remain plausible. The extent of new intelligence informing this conclusion remains unclear.
China’s government has consistently dismissed lab-leak theories, accusing the U.S. of politicizing the issue. Beijing maintains that its involvement in COVID-19 origin research is credible and points to a lack of evidence supporting claims of a laboratory leak.
Newly confirmed CIA Director John Ratcliffe has stated that addressing the pandemic’s origins is a priority, reiterating his belief that a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology is the most likely explanation.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington has not yet commented on the CIA’s recent assessment.
