The Chinese virology institute in Wuhan, the city where the novel coronavirus emerged last year, said it had three live strains of bat coronavirus but none that match the COVID-19 strain.
The institute”s director told state broadcaster CCTV that claims by US President Donald Trump that the virus could have leaked from the facility were “pure fabrication”.
In an interview recorded on May 13 but broadcast on Saturday, Wang Yanyi said the centre had “isolated and obtained some coronaviruses from bats. Now we have three strains of live viruses … But their highest similarity to Sars-CoV-2 only reaches 79.8%.”
The virus is believed to have come from a food market in Wuhan.
Trump points finger at China over coronavirus outbreak
Pressure mounts on top UK government aide to quit
In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s top aide is facing new allegations he violated coronavirus lockdown rules by travelling 400 kilometres to northern England while his wife showed COVID-19 symptoms.
The Observer and Sunday Mirror newspapers reported on Sunday that Dominic Cummings was seen in the northeast of England on two more occasions in April.
Members of the UK’s opposition called for his resignation after it was firstly reported on Friday he violated the government’s own coronavirus restrictions.
Pressure builds on UK advisor to quit over new allegations he breached coronavirus lockdown
France’s faithful return to Mass
In France, the religious are celebrating Sunday Mass for the first time in two months after indoor masses have been permitted for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown.
The reopening this week followed a high court ruling that the ban on religious ceremonies was illegal.
Religious services resume in France as easing of restrictions continues
Spain set to reopen international borders
Foreign tourists will be able to go to Spain starting in July, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday.
The prime minister said tourists would be able to enter to Spain under certain security conditions.
International arrivals have largely ceased due to strict lockdown restrictions in Spain and quarantine rules. The tourism industry makes up 12% of Spain’s GDP.
There have been more than 28,000 confirmed deaths in Spain which is one of the worst-hit countries in Europe.
The Spanish football league La Liga will also restart on June 8, Sanchez announced. It follows Germany’s Bundesliga which restarted to empty stadiums last weekend.
Russia reports highest daily death toll
Russia reported 153 coronavirus deaths on Sunday over the previous 24 hours. It is the country’s highest daily death toll during the pandemic. Total fatalities now stand at 3,541 in the country.