The origins of SARS-CoV-2: A critical review
Edward C. Holmes, Stephen A. Goldstein, Angela L. Rasmussen, David L. Robertson, Alexander Crits‐Christoph, Joel O. Wertheim, Simon J. Anthony, William Barclay, Maciej F. Boni, Peter C. Doherty, Jeremy Farrar, Jemma L. Geoghegan, Xiaowei Jiang, Julian L. Leibowitz, Stuart J. D. Neil, Tim Skern, Susan R. Weiss, Michael Worobey, Kristian G. Andersen, Robert F. Garry, Andrew Rambaut
Abstract
Since the first reports of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, there has been intense interest in understanding how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in the human population. Recent debate has coalesced around two competing ideas: a "laboratory escape" scenario and zoonotic emergence. Here, we critically review the current scientific evidence that may help clarify the origin of SARS-CoV-2.