Wuhan laboratory or natural process: Trump announces detailed investigation into the origin of the coronavirus

(Patria) – US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that his administration is trying to determine if the coronavirus originated from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

As theories about the emergence and origin of this virus multiply, its true source is still unknown. General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated on Tuesday that the US intelligence community assessed that the coronavirus originated naturally, i.e., it was not created in a Chinese laboratory; however, neither thesis can be confirmed yet.

US television network Fox News reported on Wednesday that the virus was created in a laboratory in Wuhan, but not as a biological weapon, but as a result of the country's efforts to convince the world that its capacity to fight the virus is equal to or greater than that of the United States, Reuters writes.

When asked at a press conference if the virus originated in Wuhan, Trump replied that a 'detailed investigation is underway'.

Earlier in February, the state Institute of Virology in Wuhan dismissed rumors that the virus was artificially created in one of the laboratories there or that it might have accidentally ended up outside the laboratory.

After Trump's press conference, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News that 'we know the virus originated in Wuhan', and that the Institute of Virology is only a few kilometers away from the wild animal meat market. 'The Chinese government should openly and precisely state how the virus spread,' Pompeo emphasized.

There is a broad scientific consensus that COVID-19 originated from bats.

Trump and other officials are openly skeptical of China's official reports on the number of deaths, which stands at 3,000, while the number of victims in the US is over 20,000 and still growing.

Trump reiterated his doubts on Wednesday when he said that the US has more cases because 'we report more'.

- Do you really believe those numbers from a huge country called China, and that they have a certain number of cases and a certain number of deaths; does anyone really believe that?, the US President asked.