A two-year investigation by the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic has concluded that the Covid-19 pandemic most likely originated from dangerous virus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China.
Key Findings Support Lab Leak Theory
The 525-page report, released Monday, outlines strong evidence for the lab leak theory. It points to biological traits in the virus unlikely to occur in nature, evidence of a single introduction to humans rather than multiple zoonotic spillovers, and the proximity of the initial outbreak to China’s largest SARS research lab, WIV.
US intelligence reports revealed that several WIV researchers fell ill with Covid-like symptoms in late 2019, months before the outbreak became public. The report also notes the absence of evidence linking the virus to animals at Wuhan’s wet market, undermining the natural-origin theory.
Gain-of-Function Research in the Spotlight
The WIV has long been under scrutiny for its gain-of-function (GOF) research, which involves genetically altering viruses to study their transmissibility or virulence. Critics argue that such experiments, often conducted under lower safety protocols in China, pose significant risks.
The report highlights documents from 2018 detailing plans to engineer spike proteins capable of infecting human cells. These experiments proposed attaching furin cleavage sites—a key feature of SARS-CoV-2—to coronaviruses and testing their effects on mice.
While the US Department of Defense denied funding for the proposal, the subcommittee asserts these plans effectively provided a “blueprint” for creating a virus like Covid-19.
Experts Add Credibility to Lab Leak Theory
Dr. Alina Chan, a molecular biologist at MIT and Harvard, is among several scientists who support the lab leak hypothesis. She cited WIV’s history of coronavirus research, lax biosafety protocols, and the unique genetic makeup of SARS-CoV-2 as compelling evidence.
Additionally, a risk analysis study assigned Covid-19 a 68% likelihood of being an “unnatural” outbreak based on various criteria, including its rapid spread, unique features, and lack of an intermediary animal host.
Challenges to the Natural-Origin Theory
Despite extensive investigations by the US and World Health Organization, no animals in the Wuhan wet market or its supply chain were found to carry the virus. Experts argue this further weakens the idea that Covid-19 emerged from a natural spillover event.
Dr. Kristian Andersen, an evolutionary biologist, testified to the subcommittee that he found a lab origin “probable” after reviewing WIV’s research practices, including handling bat viruses under medium-risk biosafety protocols.
Implications of the Report
The subcommittee’s findings reignite the debate over Covid-19’s origins, challenging long-standing dismissals of the lab leak theory by institutional scientists and public health officials. While the report stops short of definitive proof, it underscores the need for stricter oversight of high-risk virus research and international transparency in investigating pandemic origins.
The controversy over Covid-19’s beginnings remains unresolved, but mounting evidence continues to shift the narrative toward a laboratory origin.
