WHO reveals most likely version of COVID origin

Initially, the coronavirus could have spread in Southern China and Southeast Asia by bats, said Peter Daszak, a member of the WHO team and the EcoHealth Alliance president in New York, Report informs referring to The New York Times.

"I think the virus was emerging either in Southeast Asia or Southern China from bats, getting into a domesticated wildlife farm. I’ve been to many of these, and they often have mixed species - civets, ferret badgers, raccoon dogs. Those animals would be able to get infected from bats," he said.

"Either the people that work there get infected and bring it in or animals are shipped in, live or recently killed, that bring the virus into a market. Once it’s in a market - either Huanan or another one in Wuhan - you’ve got a dense population of people moving through those markets. And it’s going to be a real potential for amplification," he added.

The article notes that WHO specialists could not access some patients’ data because of China’s privacy policy. Besides, some people who have had COVID refused to meet with representatives of the organization.