'Pressed on critical issues': WHO team visits Wuhan lab for coronavirus origin probe

A World Health Organization (WHO) led investigation team on February 2 visited the Wuhan Institute of Virology to probe into the origins of the coronavirus, asserting that it intends to meet the ‘key staff’ to ask “important questions that need to be asked”. In its mission to trace the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 and amid allegations by the United States that the deadly pathogen spread from the infected researchers at the Wuhan lab, a team of international experts visited the WIV, located in the capital of Hubei. As the lab bustled with the Chinese security forces, as seen in images broadcasted by The Associated Press, the WHO team prepared to press the officials on “critical issues” surrounding the spread of the disease along with several reporters that followed the team to cover the issue. 

A zoologist with EcoHealth Alliance and WHO team member, Peter Daszak, in a statement to Japanese broadcaster TBS, said that the team held a “very informative meeting”. Following the critical visit, the former took to his official Twitter handle and wrote: “Extremely important meeting today with staff at WIV including Dr. Shi Zhengli [institute's deputy director, a virologist]. Frank, open discussion. Key questions asked and answered.” British broadcaster, SKY, in first talks with the Zoologist post the meeting reported that the WHO team has been able to gather data "which no one has seen before" and are "really getting somewhere”. The network quoted Daszak saying that the investigators have got new information that is now beginning to help them “look at the right directions” for the virus. 

Probing WIV's 'potential involvement'

Furthermore, the Ecohealth Alliance’s President mentioned the Huanan seafood market, where China recorded the first cluster outbreak of coronavirus in 2019. The WHO investigating team collected the samples from the floor, and conducted an independent probe with market managers, with vendors. He stressed that the team was looking into Wuhan Institute of virology hypotheses around the potential involvement. According to Associated Press, WIV, China’s top virus research lab built an archive of genetic information about bat coronaviruses, which started after the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The WHO team, as per reports, held an hour-long conversation at the lab, before heading for their minivans. 

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[A security person moves journalists away from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Credit: AP]

[Members of a World Health Organization team are seen wearing protective gear during a field visit to the Hubei Animal Disease Control and Prevention Center. Credit: AP]

[Journalists and security personnel gather near the entrance of the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Credit: AP]

[Peter Daszak making a call to WHO. Credit: AP]

Read: WHO Team Visit Wuhan Center For Disease Control

Read: WHO Mission Departs Wuhan CDC Office