WHO investigators looking for origin of COVID in China did not visit Wuhan
World Health Organisation agents hoping to determine the origins of COVID-19 have spent three weeks in China without visiting Wuhan, raising fears about the impartiality of the investigation.
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A World Health Organisation team investigating the origins of COVID-19 in China failed to visit Wuhan, sparking fears the whims of Beijing are being prioritised over independent science.
Two WHO representatives tasked with laying the groundwork for a larger team of international experts to investigate the zoonotic source of the virus spent three weeks in China this month without stepping foot in the city widely considered ground zero of the pandemic.
The glaring omission has fuelled concern the Chinese government could thwart any attempt at a truly impartial inquiry into COVID-19.
Liberal MP and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma said he was “alarmed” the team spent so much time in China but did not visit Wuhan, the “origin of the outbreak” and the home of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
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“If this investigation is to help prevent future pandemics, it must be independent and enjoy unfettered access,” Mr Sharma said.
“The WHO needs to put the public health interest of the world before the sensitivities of any particular nation.”
The WHO’s investigation into the animal source of the coronavirus was one component of a resolution backed by Australia at the World Health Assembly earlier this year.
WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said the team sent to China for preliminary investigations did speak with Wuhan scientists via video.
“The team had extensive discussions with Chinese counterparts and received updates on epidemiological studies, biologic and genetic analysis and animal health research,” he said.
But the Financial Times has reported a senior US official has raised serious concerns about the lack of access to Wuhan during the August trip.
“The WHO delegation sat in Beijing for three weeks and got nowhere near Wuhan,” the official reportedly said.
Originally published as WHO investigators looking for origin of COVID in China did not visit Wuhan
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