A CLASSIFIED intelligence report prepared by the US Energy Department has concluded that coronavirus most likely emerged from a laboratory leak, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The report, which was recently provided to the White House and key members of the US Congress, indicated a shift from the department’s earlier position that it was undecided on the emergence of the virus.

However, not all US officials are convinced by the finding as spy agencies were still divided over the virus’ origins, The New York Times reported.

While the Energy Department’s conclusion is considered significant, the WSJ reported that the agency reached the judgement with “low confidence”.

The Energy Department has considerable scientific expertise and oversees a network of US national laboratories, some of which conduct advanced biological research, according to the WSJ.

Some officials said that the report was relatively weak, the NYT said, adding that the nature of intelligence was not disclosed. In addition to the Energy Department, the FBI also concluded, with moderate confidence, that the virus first emerged accidentally from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a Chinese lab that worked on coronaviruses, it added.

But four other US intelligence agencies and the National Intelligence Council have concluded, with low confidence, that the virus most likely emerged through natural transmission, according to NYT.

The WSJ added that despite the differing analyses, the update reaffirmed an existing consensus that Covid-19 wasn’t the result of a Chinese biological weapons programme.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2023