“Section II: Analysis of Research-Related Incident Hypothesis
Research-related incidents at labs in China, the United States, and elsewhere have happened and, in some instances, resulted in limited human-to-human transmission. For example, there have been at least six research related incidents involving the escape of SARS-CoV from high-containment laboratories in China (four), Taiwan (one), and Singapore (one)…
In short, human errors, mechanical failure, animal bites, animal escapes, inadequate training, insufficient funding, and pressure for results can lead to an escape of virulent pathogens, which could, in turn, infect animals and humans and lead to a release of a virus from a lab…
Basis for Assessment that Research-Related Incident is More Likely Origin of SARS-CoV-2
Nearly three years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, substantial evidence demonstrating that the COVID-19 pandemic was the result of a research-related incident has emerged. A research-related incident is consistent with the early epidemiology showing rapid spread of the virus in Wuhan, with the earliest calls for assistance being located in the near the WIV’s original campus in central Wuhan. It also explains the low genetic diversity of the earliest known SARS-CoV-2 human infections in Wuhan, because the likely index case, would be an infected researcher, is the likely primary source of the virus in Wuhan. A research-related incident also explains the failure to find an intermediate host as well as the failure to find any animal infections pre-dating human COVID-19 cases.”