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WHO Experts Arrived In China To Find Out COVID-19 Origins

  • A Chinese woman walks around with a mask in Wuhan, China on May 11, 2020

    A Chinese woman walks around with a mask in Wuhan, China on May 11, 2020 | Photo: EFE

Published 10 July 2020
Opinion

This advance-team aims to prepare investigation plans with Chinese scientists.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Friday reported two scientists arrived in China to be part of a study to identify the origins of COVID-19.

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WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said the experts are specialists in animal health and epidemiology and will work along with Chinese scientists.

The two scientists will establish the groundwork and will define the scope and itinerary of the investigation.

"One of the main issues everyone is interested in, and that's why we're sending in an animal health expert, is to examine whether or not the virus jumped from other animal species to a human, and from what species it jumped,” Harris explained.

It is believed the virus emerged in a Wuhan city's market in 2019. Allegedly, it would have jumped the species barrier from the animal kingdom to infecting humans, but there is still inconclusive evidence about this.

So far, it is believed the virus originated in a bat. Nevertheless, others argue that it's all part of a laboratory experiment.

A China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said his country “had invited the investigation to contribute to a more effective global epidemic response and global public health cooperation.”

The WHO experts will also have to determine all the skills scientific needs to be part of the investigation and come up with the composition of the full team that will be involved in it.

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