Wuhan, February 16: The World Health Organisation (WHO), investigating the origin of coronavirus in China, discovered evidence that there were 13 variants of the deadly virus in Wuhan by December, 2019. Peter Ben Embarek, the Danish WHO food safety expert who led the WHO team to China, confirmed the development to media. Scientists now believe that COVID-19 had been wreaking havoc in China even before December 2019.

“Thirteen different genetic sequences of the SARS-COV-2 virus were found in the Hubei province city, adding thousands more blood samples have been requested for analysis.,” reported Independent quoting Embarek as saying. Wuhan is considered to be the epicentre of coronavirus. However, the WHO rejected the controversial lab leak virus theory earlier this month. WHO Dismisses Lab Leak Virus Theory, Says 'No Indication of COVID-19 Spread in Wuhan Before December 2019'.

Following a 12-day visit to China to probe the origins of COVID-19 in Wuhan, Embarek said his group would not recommend further investigation into the theory that the virus accidentally leaked from labs conducting coronavirus research. He had further added that it was unlikely that COVID-19 came from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan. 1 Year Since Coronavirus Outbreak: First Case of COVID-19 Traced Back to November 17, 2019 in China's Hubei Province.

China has time and again strongly denied lab leak theory. Beijing always maintained the stance that the virus might have originated elsewhere or even been brought into the country from overseas with imports of frozen seafood tainted with the virus, a notion roundly rejected by international scientists and agencies. The first clusters of COVID-19 were detected in Wuhan in late 2019.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 16, 2021 12:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).