"No Possibility of Leak," Insider Testimony Emerges from Wuhan Lab on COVID-19

(Photo by The Hill)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Insider testimony has emerged denying the possibility that the COVID-19 virus leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.

Bloomberg News reported this on the 27th (local time) after interviewing Daniel Anderson, the only foreign scientist who worked at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Anderson, originally from Australia, was part of the COVID-19 virus research team led by Shi Zhengli, known as China’s “Bat Woman,” and worked at the Wuhan Institute until November 2019, one month before the first COVID-19 case was reported on December 31, 2019.

In an interview with Bloomberg, he said, "All experiments were conducted in compliance with safety protocols, and there was never a breach of the rules," adding, "While it is theoretically impossible to completely rule out the chance of an accidental leak from the laboratory, the likelihood is extremely low."

Daniel Anderson (Photo by Bloomberg News)

He stated, "Due to half-truths and distorted information, it has become difficult to accurately describe the functions and activities of the Wuhan Institute of Virology," and added, "It was a typical research institute operated in the same manner as any other laboratory."

He continued, "Strict (preventive) protocols were applied to manage the pathogens under study," emphasizing, "To conduct independent research, one had to undergo 45 hours of training." He also mentioned that leaving the institute required chemical showers and thorough personal hygiene management.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology is a Biosafety Level (BL) 4 facility, the highest level, which is designated for facilities that handle pathogens difficult to prevent and treat, such as Ebola, under sealed containment.

Anderson also said that among acquaintances who remained at the Wuhan institute after late 2019, there were no cases of COVID-19 infection.

In January, the World Health Organization (WHO) expert team that visited Wuhan to investigate the origin of COVID-19 concluded that it is highly likely the coronavirus was transmitted to humans through an intermediate animal host such as bats, and that the possibility of a leak from the Wuhan institute is low.

However, after The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported last month, citing a classified U.S. government report, suspicions that the Wuhan institute could be the source of the leak reignited the controversy over the virus’s origin.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.