WHO not sharing enough information about China ‘virus’ investigation

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GENEVA, Nov 11, (AP): A senior US government official complained Tuesday that the World Health Organization has not shared enough information about its planned mission to China to investigate the animal origins of the coronavirus.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus The head of the World Health Organization

On Tuesday, Garrett Grisby of the US Department of Health and Human Services griped that the criteria for WHO’s China mission had not been shared with other nations.

He spoke during a week-long meeting of the UH health agency’s member countries. “The (terms of reference) were not negotiated in a transparent way with all WHO member states,” he said via video conference, referring to the mission’s criteria. “Understanding the origins of COVID-19 through a transparent and inclusive investigation is what must be done.”

In recent months, a long-planned WHO-led team seeking to investigate the coronavirus’ animal origins in China has stalled. Although pandemic travel restrictions and the focus on stemming the overwhelming number of new coronavirus cases have complicated matters, some scientists worry that China has still not provided key details about what research is already ongoing. The US objections came as an independent panel commissioned by WHO to evaluate its management of the global COVID-19 response said it’s considering whether the UN health agency has enough power and financing to stop future pandemics. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who co-chairs the panel, said the group was especially interested in establishing an accurate chronology of the very first coronavirus alerts and what responses were taken.

“The Independent Panel will do its best to shed light on what has happened, is still happening and why,” Clark said Tuesday. “We are asking whether WHO has the right mandate, the right powers, the right capacities and the right financing to deliver on pandemic preparedness and response.”

Critics, including US President Donald Trump, have slammed WHO for allegedly “colluding” with China to hide the extent of the initial coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier this year, The Associated Press reported that senior Chinese officials didn’t warn the public about the pandemic threat of coronavirus for six days and that they stalled on sharing the virus’ genetic sequence and other key data with WHO experts.

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