WHO boss says Wuhan lab leak theory not ruled out in bid to discover Covid ‘origin’ – World News
The possibility that the Covid-19 pandemic was triggered by a leak from a Chinese laboratory was discussed by G7 leaders, the head of the World Health Organisation said.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “it was raised” and “we discussed about the origins”.
A WHO investigation into the origin of the pandemic has not ruled out any theory behind the outbreak.
A team of experts from the WHO and China said in February that the virus was “extremely unlikely” to have entered the human population as a result of a laboratory-related incident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
But the WHO has said “all hypotheses still remain on the table” and wants to carry out a second phase of its work, while US President Joe Biden has ordered an investigation into the origins, including the leak theory.
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US intelligence is divided over how the Covid pandemic began, with some believing it came from a lab accident and others from human contact with an animal.
Dr Tedros told reporters at the G7 summit: “We believe that all hypotheses should be open, and we need to proceed to the second phase to really know the origins.”
He said that nearly 3.75 million people had died and “the respect these people deserve is knowing what the origin of this virus is so that we can prevent this from happening again”.
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Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said: “With regards to the origins of the virus, WHO views it as extremely important to understand the origins of this particular virus which has caused the global pandemic.
“There are many hypotheses for that origin and the international team which was sent to the team by Dr Tedros at the request of the World Health Assembly carried out a number of studies and investigations.
“All hypotheses still remain on the table.
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“Further studies will be needed to elucidate the origins of the virus.
“We would like to move forward as quickly as possible with that second phase and bringing in further expertise, engaging with our member states to ensure that we have an appropriate terms of reference, an appropriate team and an appropriate approach where we can all move forward together in collaboration to understand the origins of the virus.”
Asked whether the Wuhan lab leak theory had been discussed at the summit, Dr Tedros said: “Yes, it was raised and we discussed about the origins.”
(Image: REUTERS)
As it stands, the UK does not believe the Covid pandemic leaked from a lab in Wuhan, the Foreign Secretary has revealed – but only “on balance” and “for now”.
Dominic Raab said the UK’s “best information” remained that it “jumped” from animals to humans – but admitted they did not have “all the answers”.
“If you’re asking me whether we think, on the balance of probabilities, that it originated in a lab, our best information for now is that it didn’t, but we don’t have all the answers,” he told Sky News.
“That’s why internationally we wanted the review to go in to China, to get all the answers, to have all the co-operation, so we have the full picture rather than these possible, potential, plausible options.
“But on balance we do not believe it came from a laboratory, we think it’s much more likely to have jumped from animals to humans.”
