Covid was very likely already circulating globally in late 2019 (without noticeable effects).
People get confused because Wuhan is one of the only places in the world capable of *making* new coronaviruses - so it's hard to believe it's a coincidence that covid "originated" there.
But Wuhan is also one of the only places capable of*detecting* new coronaviruses that are already in circulation.
None of it makes sense until you realize that all of it was due to the spread of panic and a dodgy test. All the excess deaths were caused by the response.