Chinese officials have denied accusations that they refused to coordinate with the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the coronavirus pandemic's origins.
The People's Republic of China denied the accuracy of such reports, instead blaming the global health agency for seemingly abandoning its probe into the origins of the health crisis. A report talked about the WHO's alleged abandoning of the investigation, citing China's uncooperative nature.
China's Take on WHO COVID-19 Investigation
WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said that there is no phase two for the investigation. She added that politics worldwide regarding the investigation into the origin of the COVID-19 virus had hampered scientists' progress.
On the other hand, Wang Wenbin, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, pushed back on such claims during a press conference on Wednesday held in Beijing. The official noted that China's position on the study of the virus's origins has always been consistent.
Wang noted that China has been transparent with the WHO regarding various aspects of its COVID-19 situation. He added that they have worked on supporting and participating in science-based global origins tracing. As per Fox News, the Chinese spokesperson also said that Beijing firmly opposed all forms of political manipulation regarding the situation.
The Chinese official added that two previous envoys of WHO scientists were allowed to enter the Asian nation. He said this was proof that the government was open and transparent with the global community.
Wang noted that Beijing has already shared more data and research findings regarding the coronavirus origins study than any other nation in the world. He said that the Chinese government would continue coordinating and working with global agencies with origins tracing and further investigations.
Suspension of Investigations
It was in 2020 when the WHO's first phase of coronavirus origins tracing began when a team of scientists traveled to China and spent four weeks looking for evidence of the virus' origins. The team of researchers discovered four potential origins of the virus, with the most likely one being a transmission from bats to humans.
The team responsible for investigating the virus's origins has, in June 2022, called for new studies. This includes probes into audits of laboratories that were close to where the first outbreak was reported in Wuhan, China, according to Politico.
Despite the report that the WHO's investigation has been put on hold, a spokesperson for the global health agency said that it has not been abandoned. However, they noted that they need access and data from Chinese officials to determine the best course of action moving forward.
Researchers expressed their disappointment in having to suspend the investigation into the origins of the coronavirus. They argued that understanding the virus is key in preventing or curbing future outbreaks.
However, they noted that with access to China, there was more that the WHO could do to advance its studies regarding the issue, said a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada, Angela Rasmussen, said Nature.
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