WHO official says it is ‘too early’ to determine COVID-19 originating in China by Leah Barkoukis



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As one of his first acts as president, Joe Biden joined the World Health Organization. But the recent comment from a senior WHO official on the origins of the novel coronavirus calls the decision into question.

Michael Ryan, the executive director of the WHO health emergency program, told a press conference last week that it was “too early” to say that the coronavirus originated in China.

“I think we have to say it clearly; all the assumptions are on the table and it is definitely too early to come to a conclusion on exactly where this virus started, whether in China or outside, ”he said.

Ryan was responding to an NBC reporter who asked about China’s denials that the virus originated in Wuhan or elsewhere in the country.

“Let’s go back, follow the evidence, follow the science. Our team is in the field, they have a good experience of working with our Chinese colleagues. We work on the data. The data will take us to the next phase, where we then need to go to look at the origins of this virus, ”Ryan said.

In November, however, Ryan said it would be “highly speculative for us to say that the disease has not appeared in China”.

Former President Trump has decided to officially withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization, accusing the world body of being in China’s pocket.

“The world is now suffering from the misdeeds of the Chinese government,” Trump said, adding that China had pressured the WHO to “mislead the world” about COVID-19. “China has full control over the World Health Organization,” he added – a claim that the WHO denied.



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