Humans probably contracted COVID-19 from bats via an intermediary animal: report
Content: thenews.com.pk
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GENEVA: Humans probably contracted coronavirus from a bat via an intermediary animal, an international expert mission to China concluded in a report seen on Monday, with investigators all but ruling out a laboratory leak.
The intermediate host hypothesis was deemed "likely to very likely", while the theory that the virus escaped from a lab was seen as "extremely unlikely", according to a copy of the long-awaited final report obtained by AFP before its official release.
Drafted by a team of World Health Organisation-appointed international experts and Chinese counterparts, the report has been keenly anticipated ever since investigators left China more than a month ago.
But it does not offer definitive answers on the mystery at the very heart of the pandemic -- how the virus that causes the disease first jumped to humans.
COVID-19 has killed more than 2.8 million people worldwide in the 15 months since it emerged, forcing governments around the world to introduce punishing restrictions that have pummelled the global economy.
Britain on Monday provided a rare bright spot for Europe, a continent still dogged by the virus, with stay-at-home orders relaxed as rapid vaccinations appeared to have driven down infection rates.
In recent days, the European Union's biggest economies -- Germany, France and Italy -- have been among countries to reimpose restrictions, while the EU's vaccination programme is mired in a blame game over supplies.
There was better news for Africa, as up to 400 million of Johnson & Johnson's single-shot vaccine are expected... Click to continue
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