WHO investigators continue search into coronavirus origins in Wuhan
A World Health Organization (WHO) team tracing the origins of COVID-19 on Sunday visited a food market in Wuhan, where the virus was initially detected.
The team arrived at Huanan amid heavy security with additional barricades set up outside a high blue fence surrounding the market; and left in a convoy after about one hour. The experts did not take questions from journalists.
after a two-week quarantine on Thursday, the team has visited hospitals and markets; as well as an exhibition, commemorating Wuhan’s battle with the virus.
On Sunday morning, the WHO team reportedly visited a cold storage area in a wholesale-style market, a BBC reporter wrote on Twitter.
The members, with expertise in veterinary medicine, virology, food safety, and epidemiology, have so far visited two hospitals at the center of the early outbreak — Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital and the Hubei Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital.
“Very important site visits today – a wholesale market first & Huanan Seafood Market just now. Very informative & critical for our joint teams to understand the epidemiology of Covid as it started to spread at the end of 2019,” team member Peter Daszak said on Twitter.
Chinese authorities had muzzled early covid warnings, a year ago; and the WHO visit is just a PR stunt, according to critics
“can they find evidence? it has been a long time,” says Zhang Keke, the lawyer defending citizen journalist Zhang Zhan. Detained for criticizing the government’s covid response.
“I hope WHO can work independently”, zhang Keke adds.
Members of a World Health Organization team investigating the origins of the coronavirus pandemic have visited another Wuhan hospital that had treated early COVID-19 patients on their second full day of work. https://t.co/42bPKn03Oa
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 30, 2021
On 31 December 2019, after four cases of mystery pneumonia were linked to the market, it was shuttered overnight. By the end of January, Wuhan had gone into a 76-day lockdown.
Experts say the Huanan market still plays a role in tracing the origins of the virus; since the first cluster of cases was identified there.
The WHO-led investigation in Wuhan has been plagued by delays; concern over access; and bickering between China and the US.
The USA accused China of hiding the extent of the initial outbreak; and criticized the terms of the visit, under which Chinese experts conducted the first phase of research.
The origins of the virus have become highly politicized, and some Chinese diplomats and state media have thrown support behind theories that the virus potentially originated in another country.
