FBI did not confirm the origin of the new coronavirus, contrary to what the tweet says – 07/03/2023 – Health

The tweet according to which the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation; the US federal police) confirmed that the coronavirus, responsible for Covid-19, came out of a Chinese laboratory is misleading. The tweet links to an internet post that uses the same statement in the headline. This information, however, is not in the text.

The content, verified by Projeto Comprova, cites a February 28 interview in which Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, tells Fox News that “probably” an accidental leak in a laboratory in Wuhan would have started the pandemic. Unlike the content found here, published by the Terra Brasil Notícia portal, the director does not provide information about the origin of Covid-19.

Wray’s statement was made after The Wall Street Journal published data from a report delivered to the White House in which the US Energy Department, the US government agency responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety, says that “the Covid pandemic probably arose from a laboratory leak”.

According to the report, “the Covid-19 virus first circulated in Wuhan, China, no later than November 2019.”

In the same story, published Feb. 26, Wall Street cites that the FBI views the accidental leak theory with “moderate confidence” and that the report cites four other agencies and a national intelligence panel believe the pandemic was likely the result of a natural transmission. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and another unnamed body are undecided on the source, according to the document.

A day later, the newspaper published that the White House claims there is “no consensus within the Biden administration on the origins of the virus”.

Misleading, for Comprova, is content that uses inaccurate data or that induces a different interpretation of the author’s intention; content that is confusing, with or without the deliberate intent to cause harm.

Reach

Comprova investigates suspicious content with greater reach on social networks. Until March 7, the tweet had 390.9 thousand views, 16.3 thousand likes and 3,490 shares.

What the person responsible for the publication says

The report contacted the Terra Brasil Notícias website, but did not receive a response until the publication of this text.

How do we check

Initially, the team sought Wray’s Fox News interview cited in the content. He also researched international reports on the FBI’s position regarding the origin of Covid. Finally, he tried, via private message on Instagram, to contact the website that published the tweet and the text verified here.

What can we learn from this check

Don’t be put off by the title alone. Many publications title posts with bombastic and alarmist information that is not confirmed by the text. When this happens, be suspicious. Search for terms used in the title on search engines and other trusted publications. Also make sure the text contains links to original sources before sharing.

why do we investigate

Comprova monitors suspicious content published on social networks and messaging apps about public policies and elections at the federal level and opens investigations for those publications that have achieved greater reach and engagement. You can also suggest checks via WhatsApp 11 97795-0022.

Other checks on the topic

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Comprova has been checking content that accuse China of having spread the coronavirus. Among the checks are the sentence by an American researcher from 2016 that does not indicate that the Chinese caused the pandemic and that it is misleading that Anthony Fauci’s email shown in Fantástico proves the origin of the virus in a laboratory.

The investigation of this content was carried out by Folha and Portal Norte de Notícias and published on March 7 by Projeto Comprova, a coalition that brings together 41 vehicles to check viral content. It was verified by A Gazeta, Estadão and Correio Braziliense.