Chinese scientists release Covid origin data

A team of Chinese researchers has published a peer-reviewed study analyzing samples taken from the Huanan seafood and wildlife market in Wuhan, China, which has been linked to the outbreak of Covid-19. The study reveals that swabs taken from the market in 2020 tested positive for the virus and contained genetic material from wild animals, further indicating that the disease was initially transmitted from an infected animal to a human. However, the study falls short of definitive proof, and some scientists have urged caution in interpreting the findings. The Chinese government has denied suggestions that the virus originated in a scientific facility, but the FBI now believes that the lab leak theory is the "most likely" scenario. The published findings come amid signs that the theory is gaining ground among US authorities. The lead researcher of the new report, from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), has not yet commented. The study's publication provides important data for further investigation into the origin of SARS-CoV-2.