The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, April 21, that all available evidence suggests the novel coronavirus originated in bats in China late last year.

"All available evidence suggests the virus has an animal origin and is not manipulated or constructed in a lab or somewhere else," WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib stated. "It is probable, likely, that the virus is of animal origin."

It was not clear, Chaib added, how the virus had jumped the species barrier to humans but there had "certainly" been an intermediate animal host. "It most likely has its ecological reservoir in bats but how the virus came from bats to humans is still to be seen and discovered."

She did not respond to a request to elaborate on whether it was possible the virus may have inadvertently escaped from a lab. The Wuhan Institute of Virology has dismissed rumors both that it synthesized the virus or allowed it to escape.

"It is very important to continue what we are doing not only for COVID but for many, many, many, many other health programs," she added, referring to action against polio, HIV and malaria among other diseases.

She said that the WHO was 81% funded for the next two years as of the end of March, referring to its $4.8 billion biennial budget. The United States is the Geneva-based agency’s biggest donor. Other big contributors are the Gates Foundation and Britain.

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