Wuhan Virus Research Institute in Hubei Province, China. [중국 바이두 캡처]
– The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 4th (local time) that the publication of an interim report by the World Health Organization (WHO) investigation team on the origin of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) has been canceled.
According to WSJ, animal disease expert Peter Ben Embarek, who led the WHO investigation team, said he would not release an interim report. Instead, they decided to issue a full, final report a few weeks later. “The interest in this report is so great that it will not satisfy people’s curiosity with a summary,” said Ben Embarek.
Earlier, on the 12th of last month, WHO Secretary-General Theward Ross Adhanom Governor Yeosus said, “Next week, the Wuhan investigation team will release an interim report summarizing the mission,” but the announcement was delayed.
The WHO’s decision came amid a statement by a group of 24 international scientists questioning the credibility of the fieldwork in Wuhan, China. The WSJ analyzed that the sudden cancellation of the interim report is not irrelevant to the ongoing political and scientific controversy surrounding the WHO investigation.
After WHO’s on-site investigation in Wuhan, the United States has demanded that all the original data be disclosed, claiming that the data provided by China are insufficient.
A group of scientists also requested a new international search in a statement that day, saying, “It was impossible for the WHO investigation team to conduct a full investigation.” The letters were signed by experts from various countries, including France, the United States, India and Australia.
They said, “At the end of 2019, when the first outbreak was confirmed in Wuhan, access to hospital records and confidential interviews of corona patients in China are necessary.” I asked. Earlier, the WHO investigation team said in a local briefing in Wuhan that the possibility of the virus being leaked from the laboratory is very low.
In response to the statement of scientists, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted that “old wine in a new bottle” and “convicted without scientific credibility.”
Reporter Jeong Young-gyo [email protected]
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