How Covid-19 virus originated, here's what WHO says

The expert committee constituted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that more study is needed to find out the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic. The group said that the theory of the virus leaking from the Wuhan laboratory needs to be studied in more details. 

This stand of the expert group differs from the WHO's initial assessment about the origin of the novel coronavirus. Last year, the World Health Organisation had concluded that there was 'very little chance' that Covid-19 was transmitted from a laboratory to humans.

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Key data not available

The WHO expert group, said in a report released on Thursday, that the main data to explain how the pandemic originated is still not available. The scientists said the group will retain all scientific evidence that may become available in the future, taking into account extensive testing of all appropriate hypotheses.

The group said that since laboratory-borne diseases have been reported in the past, this theory cannot be ignored.

Did Wuhan spread Covid-19 virus?

It is worth noting that the current form of the Covid-19 virus first appeared in the city of Wuhan, China in 2019. China first hid the fact, but later the virus spread to other countries and quickly turned into a pandemic. A New York Times report said that the first patient worked at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, central China.

According to another study, Worobey, Head of biology at the University of Arizona, said that an accountant, widely believed to be the first person to be diagnosed with Covid-19, said that his first symptoms were found in December 16.

However, later on December 11, 2019 itself, a woman was said to be its first patient who had bought some things from the seafood market. The WHO's expert committee had also pointed out that the first known case was probably the same woman. But till now, there is no confirmation on this.