Former Biden official says COVID-19 likely caused by lab leak
What's the story
Former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha has changed his stance on the origins of the pandemic. In an interview with CNN's Dana Bash, he said he now believes that COVID-19 was likely caused by an accidental lab leak rather than natural transmission. "This is going to surprise some people," Jha said during the interview, adding that his views have evolved since joining the Biden administration.
Lab leak theory
Jha agreed with conclusions of a post bash referred to
Bash had referred to a post by commentator Jamie Metzl, which argued that the virus likely originated from a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Jha had reshared the post on social media, writing that he agreed with its conclusions.
"Based on information I learned and based on information I've seen, I have come to conclude that it is more likely to have been a lab leak," Jha said during the interview.
Uncertain origins
'No 1 in the United States knows for sure'
Despite his changed assessment, Jha stressed that there is no definitive proof of how the virus originated.
He said only Chinese authorities know for sure and called for transparency and accountability on their part.
"Here's the bottom line. No one in the United States knows for sure," he said during the interview.
Online statement
My view on COVID origins isn't new: Jha
After the interview, Jha shared a clip of the discussion on X.
He wrote that his position was not new and that he had held the same view since his time in the White House.
"My view on COVID origins isn't new. I've held it since my time at the White House," he wrote.
"Here's the truth: no one in America knows for sure."
Ongoing debate
Controversy over COVID-19 origins
The origins of COVID-19 have been a contentious issue since the pandemic started in 2020.
Initially, many scientists favored natural transmission as the leading theory.
The lab leak theory was largely dismissed by media organizations and social media platforms under misinformation policies.
However, it has gained wider attention over time despite no conclusive evidence for either theory emerging so far.