Geneva (AFP)

In its quest for the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday asked all countries, and in particular China where a laboratory leak is suspected, to publish "all virus data ".

"Specifically, to address the lab hypothesis, it is important to have access to all the raw data, to consider best scientific practices," the WHO said in a statement, noting that China had hinted that WHO was acting under political pressure regarding studies on the origin of the coronavirus.

"Sharing the data and allowing the re-examination of samples (...) is nothing more than what we urge all countries, including China, to support so that we can move forward in the study of the origins ( pandemic) quickly and efficiently, ”the WHO added.

For Peter Embarek, head of the delegation of international scientists sent to China by the Organization to detect the origin of the Covid, the virus leaking from a laboratory in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the first cases were detected at the end of 2019, is one of the "probable" assumptions.

- Raw data -

"An employee (of a laboratory) infected in the field while taking samples falls under one of the probable hypotheses. This is where the virus passes directly from bats to humans," he said. he told the Danish public broadcaster TV2.

In a documentary entitled "The mystery of the virus - a Dane in search of the truth in China" broadcast Thursday on the Danish channel, the scientist was very critical of Beijing.

According to him, it has been difficult for his team to discuss this theory with Chinese scientists.

The WHO delegation has obtained permission to visit two laboratories where research is carried out on bats.

During these visits, "we had the right to a presentation, then we were able to talk and ask the questions we wanted to ask, but we did not have the opportunity to consult any documentation," he said. insured.

The world facing the coronavirus Simon MALFATTO AFP

He added that none of the bats live in the wild in the Wuhan area, and that the only people likely to have approached the bats suspected of harboring the virus that caused Sars -Cov-2 are employees of the city laboratories.

- The "lab hypothesis" -

In its press release, the WHO said Thursday evening "that in order to be able to examine + the laboratory hypothesis +, it is important to have access to all the raw data".

She adds that the analysis and improvement of security protocols in all laboratories around the world "including China is important for our collective security".

The organization insists that it is "of vital importance" to know how the Covid-19 epidemic started.

"Access to data should in no way be a political issue."

Based on "what we have already learned, the next round of studies will include a review of raw data on the first cases and the first potential cases in 2019," the organization added.

It calls on all countries to overcome their differences and work together "in order to provide all the data and all the necessary access, so that the next round of studies can be started as soon as possible".

The pandemic has killed at least 4.3 million people, according to a count established by AFP from official sources.

But the WHO estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the toll of the pandemic could be two to three times higher.

© 2021 AFP