TIME

U.S.-China tensions cloud virus origins

IN NOVEMBER, U.S. MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE analysts began to suspect something might be wrong in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The CIA heard reports of a pneumonia outbreak. Satellite photos showed activity near hospitals and a drop in street traffic. Apparent medical communications were detected between Wuhan and Beijing. As activity increased, officials wondered if they might be seeing something more serious than pneumonia—something worse, and more contagious.

More than five months and 255,000 deaths later, the U.S. intelligence community is still trying to

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