They are pressuring the WHO to reexamine the origin of the pandemic

GENEVA.- Several countries, including the United States, on Tuesday asked the WHO for a more in-depth investigation into the origins of Covid-19, after the first mission to China raised more questions than answers.

These calls were made at the 74th World Health Assembly, which brings together the 194 members of the WHO since Monday. The first phase of the study was carried out at the beginning of the year in the region of Wuhan, in China, considered as the cradle of the pandemic, jointly by international and Chinese scientists, in a context of presumption of lack of independence. vis-à-vis Beijing, accused of obstructing the mission, take months before agreeing to receive foreign experts.

In a teleconference with Geneva, U.S. Representative Jeremy Konyndyk on Tuesday stressed the importance of having “A solid, comprehensive and expert investigation into the origins of Covid-19”“It’s important that we prepare for phase 2 of the origins study for it to be successful,” said Konyndyk, “it’s not about naming who is responsible”. Other countries including Australia, Japan Yes Portugal, expressed similar positions.

This Monday Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and White House adviser on Covid, said he was not convinced that the coronavirus was developing by natural causes. When asked if the virus was of natural origin, Fauci replied, “I’m not convinced, I think we should find out what happened in China. True, those investigating argue that the emergency arose from an animal that has already infected individuals, but it could have been something else and we need to find out. That is why I am absolutely in favor of an investigation ”.

By the end of March, experts concluded that transmission to humans by an intermediate animal was a “very likely” hypothesis and they claimed that a laboratory incident, a thesis strongly defended by former US President Donald Trump, remained “extremely unlikely”.

Some experts now recommend continuing to study the main hypothesis, but also others, Except for the one who claims the virus escaped from a Wuhan lab. This proposal made a lot of noise. And, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus quickly corrected and said that all assumptions remain on the table, and he criticized the lack of access to Chinese data.

The head of the international delegation of scientists, Peter Ben Embarek, then downplayed this question, saying that in China, as elsewhere, some data cannot be shared for confidentiality reasons, and that he tried to find a solution that would allow access to the data “in phase 2 of the study”. But later, the WHO did not provide information on the progress, as several scientists denounced the disproportionate role Beijing played in the first phase of the study, demanding that things change in the next. »The objective of this research It is not a question of determining responsibilities, but of relying on science, to find the source of the virus and the epidemic and thus help us all prevent a global catastrophe like this from happening again, ”said Konyndyk.

His appeal had the support of US Minister of Health Xavier Becerra, who called for phase 2 of the study to provide experts “The independence necessary to fully appreciate the origin of the virus and the first days of the epidemic”. But Beijing wants to avoid blame for pandemic at all costs, and the regime appears to be doing everything possible to continue the investigation outside of China.

Find out how the virus, which has caused more than 3.4 million deaths worldwide, was transmitted to humans is considered essential in trying to prevent an upcoming pandemic. But for now, WHO cannot do research on its own in a country. Several countries and experts called on the agency to benefit broad powers quickly send experts in crisis, but this proposal is not included in the draft resolution to strengthen WHO, which will be adopted this week.

The countries would decide at the assembly to postpone the start of negotiations on a treaty on pandemics, useful supported by the WHO and several countries, until November until November. France Yes Germany.

AFP and Reuters agencies

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