Published 19:45 IST, January 4th 2021
COVID-19 pandemic spread due to 'multiple outbreaks' worldwide, claims Chinese Foreign Min
China took immediate action as it launched an epidemiological investigation into Covid-19 pandemic , China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Xinhua.
Advertisement
Multiple outbreaks across different countries caused the Covid-19 pandemic, and China was among the first countries to race for the containment of the pathogen, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency. China took immediate actions as it launched an epidemiological investigation for identifying the pathogen and publicize key information including the genome sequencing of the virus, Wang said in a televised statement. China's foreign minister said that the country sounded the alarm about the coronavirus to the world and there was no evidence of the virus' emergence in China.
Wang’s remarks came as the WHO initiated an independent inquiry into the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 by dispatching a team to Wuhan. According to sources of the Associated Press, a team of biologists travelled to Wuhan to probe when the COVID-19 causing virus began circulating and whether or not it originated in Wuhan. The investigation, which is ongoing, is expected to last for at least four or five-week more.
Speaking in context to the evidence of origin, the Chinese State Councillor said that the PRC was the first country to report the coronavirus as the pathogen had already emerged in multiple locations across the world. Further in his interview with the state-run press, Wang said that the country was wrongly accused of acting too slowly to halt coronavirus dispersion and for the reports of doctors arrests for whistle-blowing about the new pneumonia-like virus spread back those months.
The minister lashed out earlier at foreign politicians saying they “insisted on politicizing the epidemic, labeling the virus, and smearing the World Health Organization,” AP reported. Making an official statement to Xinhua News Agency Wang blamed President Donald Trump’s administration for repeatedly "castigating China for allegedly covering up the initial outbreak," according to sources of AP.
China blames US for 'stigmatization'
The outbreak was largely contained by Beijing, the Chinese minister told Xinhua News Agency, adding that Beijing was leading efforts with WHO teams to trace the origin of the pathogen to prevent future outbreaks. Wang added that the US President Donald Trump’s ‘misguided’ claims suggesting that coronavirus leaked out of a laboratory in Wuhan flared disinformation. China had "actively engaged" in the global response to the pandemic and had stood at the forefront of fighting misinformation, Wang told state broadcaster as he condemned the US for politicization and stigmatization of China associating it with virus’ origin.
19:47 IST, January 4th 2021