The World Health Organization mission to China to uncover the origins of the coronavirus has failed to identify the animal source.
Scientists said on Tuesday that the disease which has gone on to kill more than 2.3 million people worldwide originated in bats and could have been transmitted to humans via another mammal.
Head of the China team Liang Wannian told newsmen that while transmission from animals can be the likely route, so far the reservoir hosts remain to be identified.
He also said there is no indication the sickness was in circulation in Wuhan before December 2019 when the first official cases have been recorded.
