The World Health Organization (WHO) is continuing to investigate the origin of the Covid-19 virus, with Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stating on Friday that “all hypotheses” remain on the table. The statement comes after months of speculation into the source of the virus, with some theories suggesting a lab leak as the cause.
The WHO has been leading an international team of experts to China in an effort to get to the bottom of the outbreak, which began in late 2019. The mission has been hampered by a lack of access to data and samples, but Tedros said the team has had "constructive and productive" discussions with their Chinese counterparts.
While the WHO has yet to reach a conclusion, the organization is keeping all theories on the table, including that of a lab leak. This is a significant shift from the organization's previous stance, which was to dismiss the lab leak theory out of hand.
The WHO's approach is an important step towards getting to the bottom of the virus' origins, and the organization is expected to continue its investigations in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, the international community is urging caution as the investigation continues.