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Many theories about the origins of COVID-19 have been debated extensively since the pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe a few years ago, claiming millions of lives. Some, like the former US President Donald Trump, claimed the virus was a ‘Chinese conspiracy’, while others theorised that the infection originated in bats and was later transmitted to humans. However, none of these theories have been either substantiated or debunked thus far. On 27 June 2025, the World Health Organization stated that all possibilities remain open regarding the origins of COVID, and that no theory, however far-fetched, can be ruled out.
China Withhelds Information
"Despite our repeated requests, China hasn't provided hundreds of viral sequences from individuals with COVID-19 early in the pandemic, more detailed information on animals sold at markets in Wuhan, and information on work conducted and biosafety conditions at laboratories in Wuhan." This was the response of Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization, when asked why the UN agency could not determine where the virus originated.
"As things stand, all hypotheses must remain on the table, including zoonotic spillover and lab leak. We continue to appeal to China and any other country that has information about the origins of COVID-19 to share that information openly, in the interests of protecting the world from future pandemics," Tedros added.
In 2021, WHO set up a Scientific Advisory Group to study the Origins of Novel Pathogens. It included a panel of 27 independent, international, and multidisciplinary experts from around the world. However, much to the disappointment of the global community, the panel stated they could not determine the origins of the virus due to ‘inconclusive evidence’.
WHO requested that China share hundreds of genetic sequences from individuals with COVID-19 early in the pandemic, more detailed information about the animals sold at markets in Wuhan, and information on work conducted and biosafety conditions at laboratories in Wuhan. To date, China has not shared this information either with SAGO or WHO.
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All Bets Are On
The Chinese government maintains that the virus entered China via frozen fish imported from other countries. Conversely, the American president appears to have firmly endorsed the ‘Wuhan lab’ theory, which suggests the virus was part of a conspiracy by China to undermine Western powers. Members of theSAGO panel explored the lab leak hypothesis, which led to disagreements among its members. Apreliminary report from SAGO in June 2022 noted that three of the four scientists who ultimately chose not to sign the report did "not agree with the inclusion of further studies evaluating the possibility of introduction of SARS-CoV-2 to the human population through a laboratory incident due to the fact that from their viewpoint, there is no new scientific evidence" to question the earlier WHO conclusion that such a scenario was "extremely unlikely".
According to theWorld Health Organization, all hypotheses remain under consideration, as there is still no conclusive evidence to either confirm or dismiss any of the theories regarding the virus’s origins. "Until further requests for information are met, or more scientific data becomes available, the origins of SARS-CoV-2 and how it entered the human population will remain inconclusive," SAGO chair Marietjie Venter said at the press conference.
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Conclusion
As the World Health Organization has reiterated, investigating the cause of a health disaster of such a devastating scale remains a moral obligation for the scientific community. Yet, the answer remains elusive. It remains to be seen whether this marks the end of the COVID-19 saga or there is more to come.