In its search for the origin of the coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) is now putting pressure on it: In a letter to the member countries, it has listed the research priorities and announced a new permanent working group that will look into the search for the origin of new pathogens.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized on Friday in Geneva that in addition to the investigation of wild animals and animal markets in Wuhan, China, where the virus first appeared at the end of 2019, the laboratories there must also be inspected.
Thesis of a laboratory accident "extremely unlikely"
China had delayed the journey of the first WHO research team for months.
Although the WHO wants to continue the investigation, Beijing is making no move to allow the work in China to continue.
The subject is delicate.
The US accuses China of preventing transparent analyzes.
Beijing suspects the United States is blaming China for spreading the virus.
The authorities are sprinkling bogus theories that the virus could also have reached China from abroad via frozen goods.
The WHO team, which was only allowed to travel to China in January after months of turmoil, reported at the end of March that it was “likely to very likely” that the virus had spread from animals to humans via an intermediate host.
The fact that the virus accidentally escaped from a virus laboratory and spread is considered an "extremely unlikely path".
The USA is sticking to the thesis of a laboratory accident.
That is considered possible at least in parts of the US secret service apparatus, said US President Joe Biden at the end of May and ordered further tests.
The secret service is due to report at the end of August.
China, on the other hand, always emphasizes that the origin must be sought “globally”.
The US made the search more difficult with its "political manipulations," as a State Department spokesman said.