Overview

• A May 7 peer-reviewed study in Cell analyzed 167 bat coronavirus genomes, linking SARS-CoV-2 to bats in northern Laos and China's Yunnan province.
• The study involved collaboration among researchers from 20 institutions across the US, Europe, and Asia, reinforcing international scientific consensus on natural origins.
• This genomic evidence contradicts the lab-leak theory recently promoted on a White House website updated in April 2025 under the Trump administration.
• The White House's lab-leak claims cite proximity to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and early illnesses among its researchers, but lack direct supporting evidence.
• The findings underscore the importance of genomic research in addressing pandemic origins and countering politically influenced narratives.