Coronavirus: Lab Leak Part 14 - Dr. Peter Ben Embarek

The New York Post (Aug 12) has the following headline, "COVID-19 lab leak theory a ‘probable hypothesis,’ WHO scientist says in stunning reversal." But is that really what Dr. Peter Ben Embarek is saying?

In the stunning reversal, Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, who initially dismissed the lab leak theory as “extremely unlikely,” said he now considers the possibility a “probable hypothesis,” according to the Washington Post, which cites a documentary airing on Danish television channel TV2.

“An employee who was infected in the field by taking samples falls under one of the probable hypotheses,” Ben Embarek told the interviewers.

“This is where the virus jumps directly from a bat to a human. In that case, it would then be a laboratory worker instead of a random villager or other person who has regular contact with bats,” he explained.

I think that the lab leak hypothesis is valid and needs to be researched, but this quote from the New York Post seems to argue for the direct zoonotic transmission hypothesis. Could he have said more that would indicate he believes in a lab leak? If so, I'm sure the New York Post would have taken that part of the quote.

I suspect that Dr. Embarek isn't too happy with articles like this. It seems to be taking his quote out of context.