WHO reverses stance to recommend deeper probe of coronavirus origins in China. China insists lab-leak theory is a lie | MarketWatch - Ciara Linnane:
June 10, 2022 - "The World Health Organization [WHO] has reversed its stance on the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and is now recommending a deeper probe into whether it was caused by an accident in a laboratory in China. Coming more than two years after the virus was first detected in Wuhan, and after at least 6.3 million deaths worldwide, the move may surprise critics who accused the agency of being too quick to dismiss or downplay the lab-leak theory that put Chinese officials on the defensive....
"Just last year, the WHO said it was 'extremely unlikely' that COVID came from a lab, and more likely it jumped to humans from an animal such as a bat. In March 2021, WHO released a report about COVID-19’s origins following a highly choreographed visit by international scientists to China.
"Now in a report released Thursday, WHO’s expert group said 'key pieces of data' to explain how the pandemic began were still missing. The scientists said the group would 'remain open to any and all scientific evidence that becomes available in the future to allow for comprehensive testing of all reasonable hypotheses.' Jean-Claude Manuguerra, a co-chair of the 27-member international advisory group, acknowledged that some scientists might be 'allergic' to the idea of investigating the lab-leak theory but said they needed to be 'open minded' enough to examine it.
"Investigations by the Associated Press found that some top WHO insiders were frustrated by China during the initial outbreak even as WHO heaped praise on Chinese President Xi Jinping. They were also upset over how China sought to clamp down on research into the origins of COVI9.
"WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sent two letters to senior Chinese government officials in February requesting information, including details about the earliest human cases of COVID-19 in the city of Wuhan. It’s unclear whether the Chinese responded. The experts said no studies were provided to WHO that assessed the possibility of COVID-19 resulting from a laboratory leak.
"China responded Friday by calling the lab-leak theory a politically motivated lie.... Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian also rejected accusations that China had not fully cooperated with investigators.... Zhao also called for an investigation into 'highly suspicious laboratories such as Fort Detrick and the University of North Carolina' in the United States, where China has suggested, without evidence, that the U.S. was developing the coronavirus as a bioweapon."
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