The World Health Organisation team arrived in Wuhan, China on 14 January to investigate the origins of SARS-CoV-2, which has claimed around 2.2 million lives so far. After completing 14 days’ quarantine, the international mission began field work last week.
The WHO team in Wuhan has received never-before-seen data about the coronavirus, Dr Peter Daszak, who is a member of the team, told Sky News on Wednesday.
Dr Daszak underscored the importance of cooperation with the Chinese scientists who have been working in Wuhan ever since the pandemic outbreak more than a year ago.
To date, the team has already visited multiple sites, including a local seafood market where the first case of COVID-19 was reportedly registered, as well as local hospitals where first coronavirus patients were treated. In the words of Dr Daszak, the possibility to work on site provides the team with information of vital importance.
Ahead of the mission’s arrival in Wuhan, there was a spat between Chinese officials and the WHO over visa issues. Two members of the team were blocked from entering China as their visas had not been approved, so the whole mission was put on hold. A week later, the issue was resolved and the team finally arrived in Wuhan on 14 January.
A member of a World Health Organization team is seen wearing protective gear during a field visit to the Hubei Animal Disease Control and Prevention Center for another day of field visit in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021
As of now, relations between China and the WHO over probing the origin of the deadly virus seem to be smoother, as Dr Daszak praised the cooperation with local officials.
According to local media reports, the WHO team visited the Wuhan Institute of Virology on Wednesday. The institute has been linked to multiple conspiracy theories suggesting that the coronavirus may have leaked from the P4 lab where thousands of coronavirus samples were collected and stored. Chinese authorities have consistently denied such allegations.
One of the most prominent researchers of the institute, Shi Zhengli, has previously worked with Dr Daszak, who has also maintained a working relationship with the institute.
On 17 December, WHO announced it would dispatch a special mission to Wuhan to investigate the origins of COVID-19. The mission is expected to last for six weeks, including two weeks of quarantine.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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