BEIJING — China deflected questions over an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 on Wednesday after the World Health Organization (WHO) chief revived a theory it may have leaked from a Chinese lab and the United States led concerns over data access.
A report by WHO and Chinese experts released Tuesday had judged the lab-leak hypothesis highly unlikely, saying the virus behind COVID-19 had probably jumped from bats to humans via an intermediary animal.
China welcomed the report, seeing it as vindication of its handling of the investigation following allegations it had tried to delay and then restrict it.
The report also initially appeared to back China’s firm rejectio…
Keep on reading: China deflects questions after WHO chief revives lab leak theory