WHO stays resolute over COVID-19 origin amid China's claims: 'Will start study from Wuhan'

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Dr Tedros Adham Ghebreyesus has lambasted China for attempting to shift blame of Coronavirus' origin onto India. Calling out China for attempting to 'politicise' WHO investigation on origin of virus, Dr Ghebreyesus strongly asserted that study will start from Wuhan - city in China where first case of COVID-19 was reported last year. Since COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, virus has claimed 1,469,230 lives and has affected 63,286,254 globally. 

"We're doing everything to make sure that we kw origin. Some have been politicising this. Our position is very clear that we'll start study from Wuhan, kw what has happened re & based on findings, to explore if re're or avenues," ANI quoted WHO chief on Monday. 

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China on COVID Origin

On issue of COVID-19 origin, Chinese media reports have been stating that Coronavirus did t start in Wuhan. Ever since Zeng Guang, an ex-epidemiologist at Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that coronavirus originated elsewhere before it appeared in China in December 2019, state-controlled media of Communist State have directed all ir resources in propagating claim as fact. 

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Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian also indicated same saying it doesn't necessarily mean that virus originated in China, even though country was first in world to report cases. Chinese scientists have also submitted a paper to science journal Lancet, wherein y have suggested that virus may have originated in Indian subcontinent well before it appeared in China. paper is awaiting peer review before it can be published. 

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China is yet to provide any solid evidence to back claim, which western scientists say is thing but 'a way to whitewash' itself. China's reputation at international st has been tarnished after it emerged that virus originated from a seafood market in Wuhan, which was operating illegally.  

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China has reassured that it would allow international experts to enter  country in order to investigate animal origins of COVID-19, World Health Organization said on vember 23. UN ncy, in July, had sent a team of experts to lay groundwork for investigation. However, it has remained unclear wher international scientists would be allowed inside China to conduct epidemiological studies and identify first human cases of COVID-19 and source of infection.