After 20 months, 219 million cases, and more than four million deaths, we’ve learned a lot about the COVID-19 pandemic. But the most polarizing question and central mystery remains: We still don’t know where the virus that started it all actually came from. Most experts were not surprised in late August when a 90-day investigation by the U.S. intelligence community came up empty-handed on the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

A brief, one-page unclassified summary released on August 27 revealed the only point on which the intelligence community agreed: that the virus was “not developed as a biological weapon.”

Understanding where, when, and how this pandemic started is important information for public health officials seeking to control its spread and even prevent future outbreaks. If the source of the virus is found to be bats or another animal, as many experts suspect, preventative measures might include curtailing contact between that animal and those living or working in close proximity. 

Please select this link to read the complete article from National Geographic.