China military, Wuhan institute involved in creation of COVID-19: Report
What's the story
Investigators from the United States (US) have claimed the COVID-19 outbreak likely originated in China from a lab leak during a covert project to pursue bioweapons jointly run by the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Chinese military, The Sunday Times reported.
The revelations come months after the US Energy Department reportedly also attributed the COVID-19 outbreak to an accidental lab leak in Wuhan.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Several countries, their academia, legislators, and intelligence specialists have long been debating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the US's 2021 intelligence report, the COVID-19-causing virus first started spreading in the Chinese city of Wuhan around November 2019 and spread to other countries.
The development of the global pandemic also exacerbated tensions between China and the United States.
Details
Know about new claims on COVID-19 origin
According to The Sunday Times, the Wuhan Institute of Virology was engaged in the creation, spreading, and cover-up of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The claims were based on hundreds of classified reports, scientific articles, and emails, among others.
One of the investigators said there was no public information on the work because it was done in partnership with Chinese military specialists working on bioweapons.
Experiment
Dangerous project by Wuhan Institute of Virology
The Wuhan Institute apparently began investigating the SARS virus origin in 2003 and was conducting dangerous tests with coronaviruses acquired from bat caves in southern China.
Researchers discovered a novel coronavirus strain in a mining shaft in Yunnan province in 2016.
China didn't publicize this, however, the virus discovered then is said to be the sole member of COVID-19's immediate family.
Claims
What did US State Department investigators say?
The report claimed the US intelligence services unearthed this based on an investigation.
Separately, US State Department investigators said, "Despite presenting itself as a civilian institution, the US has determined that the Wuhan Institute of Virology has collaborated on publications and secret projects with China's military."
It "has engaged in classified research, including laboratory animal experiments, on behalf of the Chinese military" since 2017.