The United States Department of State says researchers in Wuhan lab were experimenting with a virus genetically similar to SARS-CoV-2.
The first cases of the outbreak were identified in Wuhan, China and have long been claimed to have originated from a wet market there.
Most scientists believe the virus transmitted naturally from animals to humans. Others have raised the possibility it could have leaked accidentally.
According to the United States government, researchers at the lab had been experimenting on RaTG13.
RaTG13 is a bat coronavirus which is very similar to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Several researchers then fell ill with symptoms “consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses.”
The US government officials cited inside sources, saying the researchers “fell ill with similar symptoms” during the fall.
