WHO team arrives in Wuhan to probe COVID-19 origin as 1.9 million succumb to pandemic

Following a year of negotiations, a team of independent experts set by World Health Organization (WHO) finally landed in Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday, January 14. team is w tasked with probing into origins of lethal coronavirus infection that has killed nearly two billion people across globe. sensitive mission had repeatedly been subjected to delays and politics amid fears of Beijing attempting to whitewash in past.

Scientists suspect virus to have jumped from bats to humans, most probably in China’s south west region. However, Xi Jinping administration has dismissed claim alleging that virus entered China through meat imports. Additionally, many western leaders including Donald Trump have claimed that virus was syntically manufactured inside Wuhan laboratories.

Read: Manrs Detained As 22 Trapped In China Mine For 3rd Day

Read:US To Block Cotton From China Region Targeted In Crackdown

10 member team

10 member team consists of virus and or experts from United States, Australia, Germany, Japan, Britain, Russia, Nerlands, Qatar and Vietnam. ir arrival in Chinese city was confirmed by English langu State broadcaster CGTN  earlier today. All members would undergo two-week quarantine as well as a throat swab test and an antibody test for COVID-19, according to a post on CGTN’s official Weibo account. y would work in coordination with Chinese scintist s via video conference during isolation.  

research mission is a top priority for WHO, who has been accused of conspiring with China to hide information about coronavirus. However, experts have reckoned that mission was t about apportioning blame but of “reducing risk.” ir remarks come after American President Donald Trump and his allied have toriously termed coronavirus as “China Virus.”

Despite heat, Chinese authorities, Wuhan Insitute of Virology (WIV) and Professor Shi Zhengli have angrily rejected all allegations of virus leak from Wuhan lab. Scientists appointed by WHO were all set to arrive in Wuhan and inquire origin of pandemic that has caused more than a million deaths. In an email to  BBC, Wuhan lab scientist had assured that she had communicated with UN health ncy experts twice and added that, “I have personally and clearly expressed that I would welcome m to visit WIV.”

Read: WHO Mission Will Fly Directly To Wuhan To Investigate COVID-19 Origin, Confirms China

Read: China 2020 Exports Up Despite Virus; Surplus Surges To $535B

(With inputs from AP)