Washington:
US Health Secretary Xavier Becerra has urged the WHO to make certain that the next phase of investigation into COVID-19’s origins are more “transparent” and “science-based”, amidst media reports right here suggesting expanding proof that the virus could have emerged from a laboratory in China.
In March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a report written jointly with Chinese scientists on the origins of COVID-19, saying the possibilities of it possessing began in a lab had been “extremely unlikely”.
But the US and some other nations have raised issues about the way the mission of the WHO specialists was carried out in China, such as in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, and the lack of sufficient cooperation from Beijing.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also agreed that additional research had been required into the virus’ origins.
In a video message on Tuesday at the annual ministerial meeting of the WHO”s World Health Assembly, Becerra known as for a second phase of the investigation to be launched “with terms of reference that are transparent, science-based and give international experts the independence to fully assess the source of the virus and the early days of the outbreak.”
In his address, Becerra did not mention China straight, but his remarks came days soon after a Wall Street Journal report in which US intelligence officials are quoted saying 3 researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the central Chinese city of Wuhan sought hospital care in November 2019, numerous weeks ahead of China acknowledged the very first case of the new hugely infectious illness in the neighborhood.
China has angrily rejected the US media reports, repeatedly suggesting the virus may possibly have come from a US laboratory rather.
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian mentioned that the Wuhan Institute of Virology in a statement on March 23 had mentioned that the premier lab had not been exposed to COVID-19 ahead of December 30, 2019, and a “zero-infection” record is kept amongst its employees and graduate students so far.
“What is the real purpose for the US to continue to play up the so-called “lab leak theory”? Does it really care about the origin-tracing of the virus or just want to divert attention? We hope that the relevant departments in the US will make a clarification and explain that to the world as soon as possible,” Zhao mentioned in response to a query at a foreign ministry briefing in Beijing.
Dr Anthony Fauci, senior White House overall health adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, mentioned not too long ago that he was also not convinced about the all-natural origins of the coronavirus and known as for additional investigations.
In his address to the World Health Assembly, Becerra noted that the COVID-19 pandemic “not only stole a year from our lives, it stole millions of lives.”
“Now we must honour our departed by taking urgent action this year – to strengthen health security and pandemic preparedness so that we are better prepared for the next global health crisis,” he mentioned.
This signifies enhancing international triggers, so all nations take swift action toward the next biological threat, he mentioned, underlining the value of establishing a international overall health safety financing mechanism that is sustainable – with powerful accountability and oversight.
It would also imply building surge capacity for the international manufacturing of individual protective gear, vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and the healthcare workforce, the US overall health secretary mentioned.
Becerra also mentioned the nations need to also do more to comprehend our present pandemic and look forward toward detecting, preparing, and responding to future biological threats.
As member states of the WHO, “we need to come together and finish this fight against COVID, our greatest test,” he mentioned, adding that all need to completely implement and adhere to obligations below the International Health Regulations.
“We need to improve transparency, immediately share critical information about outbreaks with pandemic potential, and strengthen health systems to withstand shocks,” Becerra mentioned, though calling for a “strong and agile” WHO.
The White House mentioned on Tuesday that it anticipated from the WHO an “expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic’s origins that is free from interference or politicisation”.
“We need access to the information that the Chinese government has in order to make a determination through the international bodies that would do this investigation. And that’s something we have called for many, many times, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
“And we have pressed, with our international partners for the WHO to help an professional-driven evaluation of the pandemic’s origins. We would absolutely participate in that with all of our analysis – sources from the United States,” she said in response to a question at a White House briefing.
The lab leak claims were dismissed last year as a fringe conspiracy theory, after then-President Donald Trump said COVID-19 had originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
On Tuesday, Trump sought to take credit in a statement to the New York Post newspaper. “To me it was apparent from the starting but I was badly criticised, as usual,” he said. “Now they are all saying: ”He was correct.””
Meanwhile, a group of prominent scientists with relevant experience recently criticised the WHO report for not taking the lab-leak theory seriously enough — it was dismissed in a few pages of a several hundred page report.
“We need to take hypotheses about each all-natural and laboratory spillovers seriously till we have enough information,” the scientists wrote in Science Magazine earlier this month.
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