Evidence mounted suggesting COVID-19 likely spread zoonotically — an animal to human jump — as the debate into the pandemic's origins flared up again after a new report from an expert panel, Science reported Oct. 10.
The report, published Oct. 10 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, included interviews, a review of the history of RNA viruses and an analysis of peer-reviewed literature that "overwhelmingly supports" a zoonotic origin. The virus likely moved from bats to other wildlife, then to humans, finally causing an outbreak at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan.
"For nearly 3 years we’ve been running in circles about different lab-leak scenarios, and nothing has really added to this hypothesis," said Isabella Eckerle, MD, co-author of the study and virologist at the University of Geneva. "We have missed the chance to say … what can we do better the next time?"