Researchers studied Covid's genome and compared it to other coronaviruses

Team detected 'peculiar patterns' that are hallmarks of man-made virus, they say

Dr Alex Washburne said the lab leak theory can't be ruled out based on results

The coronavirus was likely made in a lab, according to the latest explosive study to shed light on the possible origins of the pandemic.

Researchers in the US and Germany studied Covid's genome — the virus' instruction manual — and compared it to dozens of previously detected coronaviruses.

'Peculiar patterns' were visible in the building blocks of the pandemic-causing virus, which they say are hallmark signs that it was manufactured. The team described it as having a 'synthetic fingerprint'.