WHO coronavirus origins probe in China fails to reveal major new findings
Source: Politico Europe
Scientists have yet to identify how the virus began to jump to humans or where this spread began.
BY ASHLEIGH FURLONG
February 9, 2021 1:11 pm
Scientists investigating the pandemic's origins as part of a mission to China were unable to provide much clarity Tuesday on where the virus began.
The leader of the World Health Organization’s team, Peter Ben Embarek, told journalists that after a month-long mission to the country, the investigation didn't significantly change previous understanding.
“Did we change dramatically the picture we had beforehand? I don't think so," said Embarek. “Did we improve our understanding and did we add details to that story? Absolutely."
The politically fraught investigation has faced difficulties from its inception. Two investigators initially had to return home after setting out for China when it emerged that Beijing hadn’t finalized permissions for the scientists to enter the country.
Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/who-coronavirus-origins-probe-in-china-fails-to-reveal-major-new-findings/
WHO: 'Extremely unlikely' that coronavirus escaped from Wuhan lab
BY DOMINICK MASTRANGELO - 02/09/21 07:32 AM EST
The novel coronavirus is unlikely to have escaped from a government lab in Wuhan, China, experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday following an investigation into the virus's origins.
“Our initial findings suggest that the introduction through an intermediary host species is the most likely pathway and one that will require more studies and more specific targeted research,” said Peter Ben Embarek, an expert with the WHO food safety and animal diseases division, according to The Associated Press.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology became a target of unfounded theories that the virus had spread across the country after escaping from the facility. Chinese officials have denied those claims and promoted other unproven hypothesis for how the pandemic began.
A team from the WHO arrived in Wuhan on Jan. 14 to investigate the lab in a bid to learn about how the virus may have been created and spread.
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/537942-who-unlikely-that-coronavirus-escaped-from-wuhan-lab
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