Novel coronavirus 'happened naturally': WHO chief

Dismissing claims surrounding the origins of the novel Coronavirus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reaffirmed the natural origin of the virus, reports Xinhua.

"The virus has happened naturally," said WHO chief at a media briefing on COVID-19 on Friday.

“These’re all the publications we know, and if there's anything that will change this, it should come through the proper scientific process. WHO believes in science and evidence and that's why we say science, solutions and solidarity," he said.

Many studies on the origin of the virus have overwhelmingly shown that the virus, or SARS-CoV-2, originated naturally rather than from any institution.

Tedros' statement comes shortly after a Chinese scientist in exile vowed to publish proof backing her allegations saying that the virus is not from nature, adding that it has been created in a Wuhan lab.

The Chinese virologist also claimed that the Chinese government and the WHO knew about the human-to-human transmission much before they made it public alleging that they had a fair idea of how badly it could affect the world if not contained, reports the Republic World.