A World Health Organization team investigating the origins of COVID-19 is planning to scrap an interim report on its recent mission to China amid mounting tensions between Beijing and Washington over the investigation and an appeal from one international group of scientists for a new probe, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
The scientists in a letter called for a fresh international inquiry, stating that the WHO team which visited Wuhan did not have adequate access to investigate the sources of the coronavirus, including whether it spread from a lab.
The US has called for more transparency in the investigation, shortly after it the new dispensation reversed the decision to withdraw the country from the WHO. The US has urged China to make available all relevant data including that of the first cases reported in the country
China has also called for investigations by similar committees in other countries to ascertain whether the virus could have originated there and spread to Wuhan through frozen food packaging.
Earlier this month, a report in Daily Mail stated that the WHO investigators have backed the ruling Communist Party’s claims that “cold-chain products” such as Australian beef, may have caused the initial outbreak.
Peter Embarek, the leader of the WHO team, also said that studies should be carried out to find if the virus was imported into the country, adding it was “extremely unlikely” that the virus leaked from a lab. They even went on to declare that no further study should be undertaken into the theory.
The findings of the WHO report come as a shot in the arm for the Chinese who have repeatedly denied that letting up on their part cost so many human lives across the world.
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