China accused of 'astounding coverup' as footage emerges of bats caged in Wuhan lab

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has accused China of perpetuating an "astounding coverup" regarding COVID-19 as leaders at the G7 summit call for a fresh investigation into the origins of the novel pathogen.

The comments come after Sky News Australia aired explosive footage of staff members at the Wuhan Institute of Virology keeping live bats in cages, disproving denials from World Health Organisation investigators who claimed the suggestion was a “conspiracy”.

The 10-minute video is titled “The construction and research team of Wuhan P4 laboratory of Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences” and features interviews with its leading scientists.

The World Health Organisation report investigating the origin of the pandemic failed to mention that any bats had been kept at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and only its annex referred to animals being housed there.

“The animal room in the P4 facility can handle a variety of species, including primate work with SARS-CoV-2,” it states.