COVID-19: US Intelligence probes ‘lab-leak’ claims as China insists there are no proofs

Investigations are ongoing by the US Intelligence and National Security officials to unravel reports that the novel coronavirus had escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, where it was allegedly created and first appeared.

According to the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, Wuhan’s Institute of Virology was a couple of miles from the market where the disease first struck.

“We know this virus originated in Wuhan, China,” He said “We really need the Chinese government to open up” and explain “exactly how this virus spread. The Chinese government needs to come clean,” he added.

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Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian has on Thursday, insisted that the claims lacked proofs adding that WHO officials had “repeatedly stated that there is no evidence the new coronavirus was created in a laboratory”.

“China’s position has been clear on the origin and transmission routes of the novel coronavirus. We always hold the view that this is a scientific issue that should be studied by scientists and medical experts.

“An infectious disease is the common enemy of humankind and the international community can only defeat it through rational responses. China will continue to work with other countries, helping each other and banding together to win this fight between humanity and a major infectious disease.”

Trump says his administration was set to mount pressure on China and would do a “very thorough examination” on the situation.

So far, there has been a global death toll of 136,000 with the US claiming 31,000 of the tally. More than two million people have been diagnosed with the virus with at least half a million recoveries worldwide.

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