WHO says 'wet markets shouldn't close' despite recognizing Wuhan's role in COVID outbreak

Even after World Health Organization (WHO) scientist Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, on Friday, stated that Wuhan market h a role in vel coronavirus outbreak, he opined such markets should t be shut globally.

In a press briefing, WHO food safety and animal diseases expert Peter Ben Embarek said live animal markets are critical to providing food and livelihoods for millions of people globally and that authorities should focus on improving m rar than outlawing m -- even though y can sometimes spark epidemics in humans. 

He said reducing risk of disease transmission from animals to humans in se often overcrowded markets could be dressed in many cases by improving hygiene and food safety standards, including separating live animals from humans. He ded that it is still unclear wher market in Wuhan linked to first several dozens of coronavirus cases in China was actual source of virus or merely played a role in spreing disease furr.

RE |  WHO expert comments on wet markets

WHO on Wuhan market's role 

WHO scientist Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, on Friday, stated that Wuhan market h a role in virus outbreak, but more research is needed. Dr. Embarek - who is a WHO expert on food safety and zootic viruses, has stated that while role was clear, its exact role is t clear yet. This is first statement in which WHO has openly mitted role of China's Wuhan market in spre of pandemic.

 “ market played a role in event, that’s clear. But what role we don’t kw. Wher it was source or amplifying setting or just a coincidence that some cases were detected in and around that market,” said Dr Peter Ben Embarek in a press briefing.

RE | US, China tre envoys promise 'favorable conditions'

He ded, "Food safety in se environments is rar difficult and refore it's t surprising that sometimes we also have se events happening within markets". According to Ben Embarek, it might take considerable time to identify original animal source for new coronavirus. Embarek said while China likely has necessary expertise to conduct such studies and has t ted any problems in China's willingness to collaborate with ors.

RE | On COVID-19, China eir me a terrible mistake or probably it was incompetence: Trump

China supports pandemic response review

Earlier in day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that China supports review of global response to coronavirus outbreak, led by World Health Organisation (WHO), but only after pandemic is over. He ded that review should be conducted in an “open, transparent and inclusive” manner under leership of WHO chief Tedros ham Ghebreyesus. Several countries including France and UK have urged for greater transparency over China’s handling of virus outbreak while United States and Australia have demanded an independent investigation into it.

RE | WHO concedes 'Wuhan market h clear role in virus outbreak' as China agrees to probe

US President Donald Trump has slammed WHO and China claiming that World Health Organisation (WHO) really blew it. He also slashed funding to WHO and has hinted at retaliatory tariffs on China. In response, WHO director-general Tedros ham Ghebreyesus urged United States to join with China in combating disease rar than indulging in a blame game. Currently, global Coronavirus cases stand at 3,967,808 with 273,534 deaths.

(with PTI inputs)