A recent Washington Post editorial abuzz with the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was launched from Wuhan , China, was deemed by scholars as swimming against current scientific evidence, according to an international socialist news site.

Over the past month, scientists have discovered direct means by which animals transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to humans, the World Social Web reported Sunday.

The latest study by Dr. Florence Debarre, an evolutionary biologist at the French National Center for Scientific Research, revealed that samples containing SARS-CoV-2 from the wet market in Wuhan also contained the DNA of susceptible animals such as raccoon dogs, according to the report.

However, The Washington Post on Saturday published an editorial promoting the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 was released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the report said, noting that "the editorial ignores the growing amount of scientific evidence that refutes its claims."

The report stated that the editorial was severely criticized by scholars. "One thing is clear: If there really is a 'new light' on this subject, it is not coming from the Washington Post," he added, quoting vaccinologist Peter Hotez. "All the reckless speculation that ignores the preponderance of scientific evidence is published in major journals."

He added that "The Post's task of swimming against the tide of overwhelming scientific consensus has become more difficult as the weight of scientific evidence has accumulated in favor of natural origins."