CIA now says COVID-19 ‘more likely’ to have come from lab

A spokesperson for the Central Intelligence Agency stated on Saturday that the COVID-19 pandemic is “more likely” to have originated from a laboratory instead of from natural sources.

For years, the agency stated that it could not determine if COVID-19 was caused by a lab incident or if it emerged from nature. In the concluding weeks of the Biden administration, former CIA Director William Burns requested that CIA analysts and scientists reach a definitive conclusion, highlighting the pandemic’s significant historical impact, as stated by a high-ranking U.S. official. The CIA reported having “low confidence” in its conclusion that a “research-related origin of the COVID-19 pandemic is more probable,” mentioning in its statement that both possibilities – lab origin and natural origin – are still feasible.

The Chinese embassy in Washington promptly did not reply to a request for remarks.

The extent to which the agency has gathered fresh intelligence regarding COVID-19’s origins remains uncertain, as well as whether this new evidence contributed to the latest evaluation. The Chinese government claims it backs and has participated in research to uncover the origins of COVID-19, and it has accused Washington of politicizing the issue, particularly due to the investigations conducted by U.S. intelligence agencies.

Beijing stated that assertions suggesting a laboratory leak probably initiated the pandemic lack credibility.

In a conversation with Breitbart after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Friday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated that one of his initial focuses was to have his agency conduct a public evaluation on the origins of the pandemic.

“That’s a day-one thing for me,” he said. “I’ve been on record as you know in saying I think our intelligence, our science, and our common sense all really dictate that the origins of COVID was a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.”