Wuhan virology lab chief denies COVID-19 originated from institute, says virus 'cannot be man made'

A premier Chinese virology laboratory in Wuhan, which is in eye of storm for allegedly being source of vel coronavirus, has for first time refuted charge, including those of US President Donald Trump, that dely virus originated from his lab before it spre across world and wreaked havoc.

China has come under increasing global pressure over lack of transparency in its handling of coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected over 2,333,160 people and claimed more than 160,790 lives across world.

President Trump on Saturday said his ministration was looking into reports that vel coronavirus "escaped" from a Wuhan laboratory before it spre to world.

"We're looking at it, a lot of people are looking at it. It seems to make sense," Trump told media when asked if re was an investigation into wher coronavirus disease escaped from a lab in China's COVID-19 ground-zero city of Wuhan.

Ever since virus came to light in Wuhan in December last year, speculation has been rife on wher viral strain originated from Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) or from its nearby Huanan Seafood Market.

WIV, specifically its P4 laboratory, is equipped to handle dangerous viruses.

Though laboratory denied rumours in a statement in February, its director Yuan Zhiming, in a first media interview, rejected rumours that his institute is original source of COVID-19.

"We kw what kind of research is going at institute and how institute mans viruses and samples. re is way that virus came from us," he told state-run CGTN TV channel.

"We have a strict regulatory regimen. We have code of conduct for research so we are confident of that," director said.

He said since Institute of Virology and P4 lab is in Wuhan, "people can't help but make associations".

Referring to US allegations, Yuan said it is unfortunate that some people are "deliberately misleing" people without having any "evidence or kwledge".

"This is entirely based on speculation. Part of purpose is to confuse people and interfere with our anti-epidemic and scientific activities. y may have achieved ir goal in some way but as a scientist and science and techlogy manr, I kw it is impossible," he said.

virus "cant be man me", Yuan said, ting that re is evidence to prove that COVID-19 is artificial.

"Besides some scientists believe that to synsise a virus requires extraordinary intelligence and worklo. So never believed that we humans have capability at this time to create such a virus," he said.

Yuan said after virus broke out, his institute shared geme sequence of COVID-19 and latest research on animal model Research and Development (R&D) with World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of UN.

"As for institute of virology and institute of laboratory animal science, we are first in world to build animal models. After all conspiracy ories are t widespre," he said.