A new intelligence report released by the United States government on the possible source and cause of the Coronavirus has played down claims that the virus may have been biologically engineered or processed in a laboratory.
The intelligence report, authored by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, says that Covid-19 could have been an accidental virus whose exact origin is unknown and determined.
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The declassified report, released in June 2023, sought to determine whether there was a potential link between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report argues that an analysis of some places previously named as the source of the virus – like the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China – showed little to no indication that the virus had been manufactured or accidentally released.
The US national intelligence argues that although the Wuhan Institute of Virology has on many occasions done extensive research on coronaviruses, which included animal sampling and genetic analysis, there were no indications that its pre-pandemic research holdings included SARSCoV- 2 or a close progenitor.
There was also no direct evidence that a specific research-related incident occurred involving Wuhan Institute of Virology personnel before the pandemic that could have caused the COVID pandemic.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology is a civilian research institute founded in the 1950s by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It has also been involved in numerous researches with the People’s Liberation Army even though it is independent of the PLA.
“Prior to collaborating on a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the Wuhan Institute of Virology collaborated with the PLA on other vaccines and therapeutics relevant to coronaviruses.
“The intelligence community assesses that this work was intended for public health needs and that the coronaviruses known to be used too distantly related to have led to the creation of SARS-CoV-2,” the report notes.
The US government further notes that before the pandemic, the intelligence community assessed that the Wuhan Institute scientists conducted extensive research on coronaviruses, including animal sampling and genetic analysis.
However, the analysis still is that there is no indication that the WIV’s pre-pandemic research holdings included SARSCoV- 2 or a close progenitor, nor any direct evidence that a specific research-related incident occurred involving WIV personnel before the pandemic that could have caused the COVID pandemic.
“The Wuhan Institute of Virology probably maintains one of the world’s largest repositories of bat samples, which has enabled its coronavirus research and related public health support.
“Information available to the IC indicates that the WIV first possessed SARS-CoV-2 in late December 2019, when WIV researchers isolated and identified the virus from samples from patients diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown causes,” says the report.
“We assess that some scientists at the WIV have genetically engineered coronaviruses using common laboratory practices. However, the intelligence community has no information indicating that any Wuhan Institute of Virology genetic engineering work has involved SARS-CoV-2, a close progenitor, or a backbone virus that is closely related enough to have been the source of the pandemic,” it added.
Consequently, before collaborating on a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, the WIV collaborated with the PLA on other vaccines and therapeutics relevant to coronaviruses.
The intelligence community assesses that this work was intended for public health needs and that the coronaviruses known to be used too distantly related to have led to the creation of SARS-CoV-2.
“The Wuhan Institute of Virology probably maintains one of the world’s largest repositories of bat samples, which has enabled its coronavirus research and related public health support.
“Information available to the intelligence community indicates that the Wuhan Institute of Virology first possessed SARS-CoV-2 in late December 2019, when WIV researchers isolated and identified the virus from samples from patients diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown causes,” the report says.