Biden declassifies intelligence on COVID origins

US President Joe Biden ratified a bill on Monday which requires the release of intelligence materials regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The intelligence is believed to point the finger at a Chinese laboratory based in Wuhan, where the virus is said to have first spread in late 2019.

The White House said the bill, passed by congress in March, requires Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to declassify information related to the origins of the pandemic. However, Biden vowed to be mindful of national security when deciding what to release.

Biden said he shared Congress's interest in releasing what is known about the origins of virus.

"We need to get to the bottom of COVID-19's origins... including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology," Biden said in a statement.