WHO makes Covid-19 pandemic plea

The World Health Organisation (WHO) made a plea to those who know about the origins of the pandemic to come clean so they can conclude their report after the debate turned into a geopolitical football that continues to be kicked around.

The WHO made the plea on the back of new accusations by FBI Director Christopher Wray who stated that the Covid-19 pandemic’s source was “most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.”

The FBI director, unsurprisingly, failed to provide any evidence of his claims only adding that it was “top secret” information.

The debate over the origins of the pandemic has been ongoing since it first emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. While some believe the virus could have leaked from a lab, others argue that it was transmitted from animals to humans, a theory supported by most scientists.

The WHO conducted two investigations into the origins of Covid and concluded that it most likely came from a wet market in Wuhan. However, since then there has been a tit-for-tat spat between the US and China with both nations accusing each other of leaking the virus from a laboratory.

Chinese officials denied Wray’s recent claim, calling it a smear campaign against Beijing, reported Bangkok Post.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pleaded that “if any country has information about the origins of the pandemic, it’s essential for that information to be shared with WHO and the international scientific community.”

“Not so as to apportion blame but to advance our understanding of how this pandemic started so we can prevent, prepare for and respond to future epidemics and pandemics.

“WHO has not abandoned any plans to identify the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

In 2021, the WHO established the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens, with the aim of identifying crucial studies required in China and other regions to test hypotheses on the origins of the Covid pandemic. The group’s formation highlights the WHO’s commitment to understanding the origins of the virus and preventing future pandemics.

Tedros added that he has written and spoken to top Chinese leaders on multiple occasions.

“WHO continues to call for China to be transparent in sharing data and to conduct the necessary investigations and share the results. Until then, all hypotheses on the origins of the virus remain on the table.”

The politicization of research into the origins of Covid is causing concern for the WHO.

Tedros believes that the ongoing politicization of this issue is turning a scientific process into a geopolitical game. This trend is making the task of determining the origins of the virus more challenging, which poses a significant risk to global health and safety.

The first cases of Covid were reported in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Despite that, the debate looks set to rumble on.