China denies the claims of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that the Covid-19 pandemic was caused by a leak of the virus from a lab. This was stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, reported "Politico".
At a briefing, he reminded that "the conclusion that a laboratory leak is extremely unlikely was reached by the joint expert team of China and the WHO based on on-site visits to relevant laboratories in Wuhan".
Mao added that this conclusion has been recognized by the international and scientific community. Some studies have suggested the virus originated naturally, suggesting it may have spread among people who were exposed to infected animals sold at a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
But on January 25, the CIA released a report concluding that it was "more likely" that the Covid-19 pandemic originated in a laboratory rather than in nature. This came days after former Republican Rep. John Ratcliffe was sworn in as director in the new US administration under President Donald Trump.
However, the CIA statement did not include details about what led it to change its assessment of Covid-19.