Former CDC director believes coronavirus came from Chinese lab

"I still think the most likely etiology of this pathogen in Wuhan was from a laboratory, escaped," said Dr. Robert Redfield.

By Nicholas Sherman

Published: March 26, 2021 2:17pm

Updated: March 26, 2021 3:11pm

Dr. Robert Redfield, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in an interview that he believes the most likely origin of the COVID-19 virus was from a laboratory in China.

Redfield made these statements during an interview on CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The interview is set to air on March 28, according to The National Pulse.

"Now, I am of the point of view that I still think the most likely etiology of this pathogen in Wuhan was from a laboratory, escaped," Redfield said. "The other people don't believe that. That's fine. Science will eventually figure it out. It's not unusual for respiratory pathogens that are being worked on in a laboratory to infect the laboratory worker."

Dr. Redfield said that he thinks the virus started transmitting in September or October in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Interviewer Sanjay Gupta said that the Wuhan Intstute for Virology is known for studying such viruses, including other types of coronaviruses, including experimenting with "bat coronaviruses."