(2-27-23) The COVID-19 pandemic most likely came from an accidental laboratory leak in China, according to the United States Department of Energy.

The conclusion was made with “low confidence” in an hintelligence report which was recently provided to the White House and several members of the US Congress.

The lab leak position is a shift from the Department of Energy’s prior stance, which was previously undecided.

The US intelligence community remains divided about the origins of the virus, however.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation believes COVID-19 likely resulted from an accidental leak out of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, while four other agencies and a national intelligence panel believe it was due to natural transmission from an infected animal.

The intelligence behind the Department of Energy’s changed position is unknown, with US officials in possession of the report declining to divulge details of its contents.

US National Security advisor Jake Sullivan reaffirmed there was a “variety of views in the intelligence community” when asked about the new developments over the weekend.

“A number of them have said they just don’t have enough information.”

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