A joint study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and China on the origin of Covid-19 says that transmitting the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a virus exit from the laboratory is " extremely impossible, "according to a draft copy obtained by the Associated Press (AP).
The findings provide little new insight into how the virus first appeared and left many questions unanswered, though this was expected. But the report provides more details on the reasoning behind the researchers' conclusions. The team proposed further research in each area in addition to the virus exit hypothesis from the laboratory.
The report is being closely monitored as discovering the origin of the virus could help scientists prevent future pandemics - but it is also extremely important as China is being blamed for the current pandemic. Repeated delays in publishing the report have raised questions about whether the Chinese side was trying to change the conclusions.
The report is based on an observation by a team of WHO international experts in Wuhan, the Chinese city where Covid-19 was first discovered, from mid-January to mid-February.
In the draft received from the AP, the researchers listed four scenarios for the emergence of the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. At the top of the list was the transmission by bats through another animal, which they said was most likely. They assessed the direct spread from bats to humans as possible and said that spreading through frozen food products is possible but not very convincing.
Bats are known to carry coronaviruses and, in fact, the closest type of virus that causes Covid-19 has been found in bats. However, the report says that "the evolutionary distance between these bats and SARS-CoV-2 viruses is estimated to be several decades, suggesting a missing link."
The AP writes that the report says very similar viruses have been found in pangolins, another type of mammal, but also noted that mink and cats are susceptible to Covid-19, suggesting that they too may be carriers.
The AP received the draft copy of the report this Monday (March 29th) from a Geneva-based diplomat and WHO member. It is unclear whether the report could be changed before it is published, though the diplomat said it was the final version. A second diplomat confirmed receipt of the report as well. Both refused to be identified because they are not authorized to publish it before publication.
Peter Ben Embarek, the WHO expert who led the mission in Wuhan, said on Friday that the report had been finalized and was being checked and would be translated.
