WHO's early probe into COVID-19 suggests Wuhan's Huanan seafood market amplified pandemic

As the Coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc across the globe since 2020, claiming millions of human lives, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advisory group's early investigation into origins of SARS-CoV-2 virus has reportedly suggested that the Huanan seafood market in China's Wuhan played a major role in the amplification of the pandemic. 

The WHO has also been recommending that a deeper probe is required into whether a lab accident may have happened or not. It is being considered as a complete reversal from their earlier claims. In 2021, the WHO had said that it was “extremely unlikely” COVID-19 might have spread to humans in the city of Wuhan from a laboratory.

The expert group of WHO has mentioned that since lab accidents in the past have triggered some outbreaks, this particular theory could not be dismissed. However, experts also said that no studies were provided to WHO that assessed the possibility of COVID-19 resulting from a lab leak. 

In March 2021, WHO released a report about COVID-19's origins following a highly choreographed visit by international scientists to China. The report concluded that the disease most likely jumped into humans from bats and that there was no evidence to suggest there was a connection to a laboratory.

14.9 million excess deaths due to COVID-19 in 2020 & 2021: WHO

In a May 2022 report, the WHO estimates showed that the full death toll associated directly or indirectly with the COVID-19 pandemic  between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 was approximately 14.9 million (range 13.3 million to 16.6 million). “These sobering data not only point to the impact of the pandemic but also to the need for all countries to invest in more resilient health systems that can sustain essential health services during crises, including stronger health information systems,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO is committed to working with all countries to strengthen their health information systems to generate better data for better decisions and better outcomes,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said.

(With AP Inputs)

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