DonM Two recent peer reviewed studies suggest pretty strongly that it did not come from the lab. The data are based on analysis of RNA sequences in the Wuhan strain versus what they found in the bats in the area. Just FYI.
I agree with others that there is still a lot of virus circulating. We are at about 19% positivity in symptomatic people, which is nearly twice the cut-off for the definition of 'epidemic' that we have used for years for RSV and influenza.
Yes, this strain is seemingly more contagious and slightly less virulent than prior strains.