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Secretary General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) briefed member countries on five new focus areas in the new phase of the investigation, writes AFP.
– We crossed out the leak theory too early, says Ghebreyesus.
He suggested that investigators focus on areas that were part of the early spread of the coronavirus.
“This includes looking at relevant laboratories and research institutes near where the first confirmed infections were discovered,” Ghebreyesus said in the briefing.
Ghebreyesus also wants more studies of wet markets in and outside Wuhan, where the virus was first discovered.
Will take a closer look at Wuhan
The proposal comes one day after that the Secretary-General criticized China in order not to provide enough data on the first days of dissemination to investigators.
– Finding the origin of the virus is a scientific exercise that must be kept out of politics. Therefore, I expect China to support the next phase of the investigation by sharing relevant data, Ghebreyesus said.
According to AFP, the WHO has developed a protocol to see if a laboratory could spread the virus through a leak.
The health organization was not allowed to enter Wuhan with independent researchers until January this year. It had been over a year since the virus was discovered in the area.
“Extremely unlikely”
The report from the first phase of the investigation came in March this year, but did not come to a final conclusion about how the virus first jumped to humans.
The researchers rather ranked several hypotheses according to how likely the spread may have occurred.
The theory that the virus leaked from a laboratory into diapers regarded as “extremely unlikely”.
The investigation has been criticized by many for not being open and accessible, and for not looking more closely at the leak theory.
WHO Director – General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met China’s leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on January 28, 2020, when the WHO chief praised China’s fight against the virus.
Foto: NAOHIKO HATTA
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Do not want new researchers in the country
According to Reuters, several Chinese diplomats have protested against Ghebreyesus’ proposal.
In the past, Chinese authorities have called the theory “absurd.”
A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian, stated in the conclusions of the initial investigation that the leak was extremely unlikely.
“This case should not be politicized,” Zhao told AFP.
He also says he expects the Chinese government to support the next phase by providing relevant data to investigators.
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