Trump reignites US‑China tensions with lab leak claim
Donald Trump claims that the Covid-19 pandemic began with a leak from an American laboratory, sparking a new wave of accusations between the USA and China.
Donald Trump has once again sparked controversy by claiming that the Covid-19 pandemic originated from an American laboratory leak. His statement is a response to Chinese accusations suggesting that the virus did not originate in Wuhan but in the USA.
During a press conference at the White House, Trump stated that the virus could have been spread by a scientist who met with a girl for lunch.
"I said that right from day one it leaked out, whether it was to the girlfriend or somebody else, [a] scientist walked outside to have lunch with the girlfriend or was together with a lot of people, but that’s how it leaked out in my opinion," said Trump, as quoted by ladbible.com.
Trump signed an executive order banning the funding of "gain-of-function" research in countries such as China and Iran. This type of research involves modifying pathogens to increase their infectivity and virulence.
The White House announced on platform X that the President has signed an executive order aimed at protecting Americans from the risks associated with dangerous gain-of-function research.
The order aims to protect Americans from laboratory accidents and other biosecurity incidents that could lead to another pandemic. The document lists Covid-19 as an example of such threats.
Previously, US intelligence suggested that the virus could have originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a claim that China firmly rejects.
Covid-19 changed the world
In December 2019, the first cases of a mysterious respiratory illness appeared in the Chinese city of Wuhan. It was soon discovered that the cause was a new coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2.
The disease it caused was named Covid-19. Initially, few people suspected that in just a few months, the virus would spread worldwide, triggering a global pandemic.
In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic state. Countries around the world implemented lockdowns – restricting movement, closing schools, borders, and workplaces. Hospitals began to fill up, and doctors and nurses found themselves on the frontline of the battle against the unknown virus.
The pandemic affected every aspect of life: the economy, education, healthcare, social relationships, and the mental health of millions of people. Remote work and learning became the norm, and protective masks became a daily necessity. There were also huge challenges - misinformation, social tensions, and crises in healthcare.
