| Record | OBS-0584 |
|---|---|
| Category | Health/Pandemics |
| Status | UNPROVEN |
| Summary | The theory posits that SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, originated from a laboratory leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Proponents suggest the virus was either accidentally or deliberately released from the lab. |
| Origin | The theory emerged in early 2020, shortly after the pandemic began, and gained renewed attention in 2021 when the US government ordered an intelligence probe into the origins of the virus. |
| Claimed |
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| Evidence / consensus | The origin of COVID-19 remains uncertain. The natural spillover hypothesis is widely supported by genomic and evolutionary studies, but the lab leak theory has not been definitively ruled out. Expert consensus is divided, with many scientists calling for more investigation. |
Sources are external and provided for verification. Listing does not imply the Observer endorses their claims.