Lab leak most likely origin of Covid-19: US Energy Department

A laboratory leak was most likely origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to findings by the US Energy Department, the Wall Street Journal reported.

A classified intelligence report provided to the White House and key members of Congress said the virus likely spread due to a mishap at a Chinese laboratory, the WSJ reported on Sunday.

The Energy Department had previously been undecided on the source of the virus. 

The conclusion is due to new intelligence, but the department made its judgment with “low confidence,” according to people who have read the classified report, the WSJ said.

No enough information

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Sunday said that there is no "definitive answer" to the question of whether the virus that caused the Covid-19 pandemic spread from a laboratory.

Sullivan on CNN was asked to comment on Wall Street Journal’s story saying the US Energy Department concluded that the pandemic “most likely arose from a laboratory leak.”

“There is a variety of views in the intelligence community,” said Sullivan, adding: “A number of them have said they just don’t have enough information.”

“President Biden has directed repeatedly every element of our intelligence community to put effort and resources behind getting to the bottom of this question. And one of the things in that Wall Street Journal report, which I can't confirm or deny, but I will say the reference to the Department of Energy President Biden specifically requested that the national labs which are part of the Department of Energy be brought into this assessment because he wants to put every tool at use to be able to figure out what happened here,” said Sullivan.

He added that the information will be shared with the Congress and American people when there is a definitive answer.

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