US, WHO launch simultaneous probe into Wuhan virus origins
28 May 2021
US President Joe Biden has ordered US agencies to probe the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that probably originated and spread across the world from China's Wuhan Virology Lab, even as the World Health Organisation (WHO) is reported to have initiated a fresh study into the "dominant theory" on the origins of the pandemic that has taken the world by storm.
India termed the global study on the origin of the Wuhan Virus convened by the World Health Organisation (WHO) “an important first step” and stressed the need for next phase studies to reach robust conclusions.
India’s ministry of external affairs stressed the need for next phase studies as also for further data and studies to reach robust conclusions. ''The follow-up of the WHO report and further studies deserve understanding and cooperation of all,' it said.
According to a report by CNN, the WHO is expected to restudy the "dominant theory" that the SARS-CoV-2 probably originated and spread across the world from China's Wuhan lab.
The WHO team investigating the origins of Wuhan virus had visited the Hubei Center for animal disease control and prevention in Wuhan, on 2 February 2021. However, China effectively scuttled the probe by withholding data from the early days of the outbreak, according to a member of the team.
Meanwhile, a leading scientist on the WHO's probe mission to China recently said that a follow-up trip could be helpful to gather additional research on the origins of the disease.
The comments from Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans comes after the United States called on Tuesday for international experts to be allowed to evaluate the source of the Wuhan virus and the early days of the outbreak in a second phase of the WHO's investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, Reuters reported.
On Thursday, the Biden administration asked the US intelligence community to "redouble their efforts" to come to a conclusion on the origins of virus.
'Need transparent process from China' on virus origin, says White House COVID-19 adviser'Need transparent process from China' on virus origin, says White House COVID-19 adviser
The Wuhan lab-leak theory which was considered a controversial hypothesis has now gained traction in the West, especially after a classified US intelligence report recently claimed that three researchers at the Wuhan laboratory received treatment in a hospital in November 2019.
This was even before the virus began infecting the people in the city.
Beijing termed the US President's statement as "disrespect for science" saying it is undermining global unity in the fight against the epidemic.
None of the reports had touched the most sensitive subject - the link between the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and the PLA, which is now coming out.
Also, according to S Gurumurthy, a spokesman for the ruling BJP in India, respected science writer Nicholas Wade uncovered more about how the anti-Trump US media kept silent and the divided US polity let the culprit escape.