Most researchers think that the virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, originated in animals in China, probably bats, and the WHO has put together a 10-person team to examine the science. They will likely start in Wuhan, where the outbreak was first reported, though a precise itinerary hasn't yet been set. Leendertz said scientists would be looking to see whether stored medical samples from before the first known case provide evidence that the virus was circulating earlier than previously thought. Leendertz expressed confidence in China's “excellent researchers” and said data collected by the country's extensive disease surveillance system would likely prove valuable. “How the virus jumped from which animal to perhaps an intermediate host and then to humans.

Source: ABC News December 15, 2020 17:35 UTC