China under pressure: WHO revives theory that virus escaped from Wuhan laboratory

China faces increasing pressure on Wednesday to investigate the origin of covid-19, after the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) revived the theory based on the fact that the virus could have escaped from a laboratory in the city of Wuhan.

A WHO report Working with Chinese experts, released on Tuesday found the hypothesis that the virus escaped from a lab was highly unlikely, saying COVID-19 was likely transmitted from bats to humans by through an intermediate animal.

China welcomed the report, seeing it as confirmation of its treatment of the investigation. following accusations that he tried to delay and then restrain him.

The report also initially appeared to support China’s staunch rejection of theories that the pandemic could have been triggered by a leak from a virology lab in Wuhan, the central city where the virus first emerged.

However, the United States and thirteen other countries on Tuesday expressed “concern” about the report on the origin of covid-19 and called for more “transparency” in subsequent phases of the study.

In this regard, the Director-General of WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, reopened the theory of the virus’ leak from a laboratory on Tuesday, as she expressed concern about the level of access to cases that China provided to experts during their visit to Wuhan in January.

“During my discussions with the team, they expressed the difficulties encountered in accessing raw data”Tedros said.

He called for “full and timely data exchange” in future research.

Tedros also said that although experts concluded that the lab leak was the “least likely” hypothesis, this theory needed further study.

“I don’t think that assessment was comprehensive enough,” Tedros said of the possibility of a leak.

“It requires more research, possibly with additional missions involving specialist experts, which I am prepared to deploy.”

Tedros then pointed out that no theory had yet been ruled out.

“Let me make it clear that as far as WHO is concerned, all assumptions remain on the table”, He said.

The pandemic has killed nearly 2.8 million people worldwide since it emerged in Wuhan at the end of 2019.

Throughout the pandemic, China has developed theories that the virus may have emerged outside its borders or been imported into frozen foods.

China has come under heavy criticism from the Donald Trump administration and other Western countries for delaying access to WHO experts.

The Joe Biden administration continued to be concerned about China’s handling of the investigation.

The United States released a statement with 13 of its allies on Tuesday, saying the investigation did not have the data and samples it needed.

“We are meeting to express common concerns regarding the recent study organized by the WHO in China”, said the statement.

Beijing insists it was transparent with scientists.

China says it provided open access to wet markets, labs, patients and data from scorching first weeks of virus, berating critics for “politicizing” a global health crisis.

Health officials in Beijing could hold a press conference on the WHO report on Wednesday afternoon.

In addition, the reason for the discrepancy in the information from the WHO expert team is not immediately clear.

In the event of the laboratory accident, the head of the investigation team, Danish scientist Ben Embarek told reporters on Tuesday that Chinese lab staff admitted they initially feared a leak.

“Even the staff at these labs told us it was their first reaction”Embarek said.

“They all went back to their records … but no one could find a trace of anything similar to this virus in their records or in their samples.”, He said.

“No one has been able to gather strong arguments, evidence or evidence that any of these labs was involved in a lab leakage accident,” he added.

Embarek also added: “We did not conduct a full investigation or audit of any of the labs.”

Other members of the WHO team have taken to Twitter to defend the investigation.

Peter Daszak, who profusely congratulated his Chinese hosts during the January survey, he criticized the “pure politics” which is played with the discoveries carried out by elements of the media.

(With information from AFP)

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