COVID-19: Origin Theories and Ongoing Investigations

Multiple Scenarios Under Consideration

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, scientists and investigators continue to delve into the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Four prevailing scenarios have emerged:

• Zoonosis: The virus may have jumped from an animal species, likely a bat or pangolin, to humans.

• Laboratory Accident: Some speculate that the virus escaped from a laboratory studying coronaviruses in Wuhan, China.

• Recombination Event: The virus could have arisen from a genetic recombination between two or more coronavirus variants.

• Natural Selection: The virus may have evolved naturally in animal populations and gradually adapted to infect humans.

Lab Leak Theory Gains Traction

In recent developments, the FBI has reportedly assessed with "moderate confidence" that a laboratory accident in Wuhan was the most likely cause of the pandemic. This assessment differs from the conclusion reached by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has previously stated that a zoonotic origin is most likely. The WHO is currently conducting a Global Study of the Origins of SARS-CoV-2, aimed at gathering evidence and developing a consensus on the virus's origin.