though it s unclear why the chinese government requested the projects or when or if they initiated that work. the republican researchers also said there s evidence the virus was spreading throughout central wuhan as thousands of athletes gathered there in october 2019 for the world military games. that four countries that sent athletes to wuhan have confirmed the presence of covid-19 in november and december of 2019 before the outbreak became public. the biden administration has asked the intelligence committee to investigate whether the virus leaked from a lab or developed naturally. that report is due at the end of the month. pointing to that investigation, democrats have refused to participate in congressional inquiries including this one. china s government is dismissing all of this. they say the world health organization and international bodies should look at the united states and bio labs here run by the government and research
such a significant renovation so soon after the facility the began opation appears unusual in the months prior to the outbreak of covid-19. unclear why the chinese government requested the projects and unclear if the work was ever submitted and done. another circumstantial element they re building the case to show it may have escaped from the wuhan lab in 2019. republican researchers said there is evidence that the virus was spreading throughout central wuhan earlier in 2019 than originally thought just as the city hosted the world military games that year. the report says the games with thousands of international athletes helped spread the virus around the world. athletes reported illnesses and competitions with no fans and four countries that sent athletes to the games confirmed the presence of covid-19 in november and december of 2019.