A team of investigators led by the World Health Organization(WHO) has assessed it was very likely that COVID-19 passed to humans from a bat through an intermediary animal.

In a 120-page report released on Tuesday, the team said the intermediate host hypothesis was deemed "likely to very likely.”

The team also said the theory that the virus was leaked from a lab was seen as "extremely unlikely.”

The report added that no firm conclusion can be drawn about the role of the Huanan market in regards to the origin of the outbreak, or how the infection was introduced into the location. The seafood market in Wuhan was suspected to be where the COVID-19 virus first originated.

Comprising 17 international experts and 17 Chinese experts, the team visited Wuhan from January 14 to February 10 to identify the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.

The team acknowledged that its latest study was lacking due to insufficient access to raw data and recommended that further studies be carried out.