Wuhan lab leak claim goes against science: official

BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The claim that the SARS-CoV-2 leaked from a Wuhan lab goes against science, a senior official of the National Health Commission (NHC) said Thursday.

Zeng Yixin, vice director of the NHC, said he was surprised to hear that some people have claimed the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

The claim is disrespectful to common sense, and goes against science, Zeng told a press conference on the COVID-19 origin-tracing work, which is held by China's State Council Information Office.

Yuan Zhiming, director of the National Biosafety Laboratory at the WIV, said that his lab, which studies class four pathogens and boasts highest biosafety rating, has not had any incidents of leakage since it was put into operation in 2018.