GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) is intensifying its efforts to uncover the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announcing readiness to dispatch a new team of experts to China for further investigations.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Tedros stressed the importance of securing “full access” and called on countries to raise this matter during their bilateral meetings with China.
“We’re pressing China to give full access, and we are asking countries to raise it during their bilateral meetings — (to urge Beijing) to co-operate,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the FT.
The WHO has already reached out to China, formally requesting information and seeking approval for the organization to send a team to investigate the pandemic’s origins further.
Since the emergence of Covid-19 at the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China, the international community has grappled with two contrasting theories regarding its origins: the possibility of a laboratory escape where such viruses were under study, or transmission from an intermediate animal to humans, possibly at a local market.
Investigation into Origin of Covid-19 Virus
In early 2021, a team of specialists, jointly led by the WHO and accompanied by Chinese counterparts, conducted an investigation in China. In their subsequent joint report, they leaned toward the hypothesis that the virus had been transmitted through an intermediary animal from a bat to a human, potentially at a market.
Tedros emphasized that, despite these findings, all possible scenarios remain “on the table.” However, no team has been able to revisit China for further investigations, and the WHO has persistently called for additional data and transparency from Beijing.
Tedros has consistently stated that the WHO remains committed to the pursuit of uncovering the virus’s origin and has called upon China to cooperate fully by sharing data, conducting thorough investigations, and disclosing the results.
Earlier this year, the WHO lifted the highest pandemic alert level, reflecting improvements achieved through vaccines, post-infection immunity, and enhanced treatment. Although the virus is now under better control, new variants are emerging, especially as the Northern Hemisphere welcomes the autumn season.
