Two members of WHO mission in China leave Wuhan

Two members of a World Health Organization team sent to China to investigate the origins of COVID-19 were on Wednesday preparing to leave the country.

Their departure comes after a report by the team said the new coronavirus most likely appeared in humans after jumping from an animal, rather than an alternate theory that it had leaked from a Chinese lab.

Zoologist Peter Daszak and virologist Marion van Koopmans left the city of Wuhan after 28 days in China, both saying that there had been agreement and cooperation between scientists sent by the WHO and scientists from China.

China had closely watched the visit by the WHO, with Beijing concerned about being blamed for missteps in its early response to the pandemic.

An AP investigation found that the Chinese government put limits on research into the outbreak and ordered scientists not to speak to reporters.

But on leaving Wuhan, Daszak said there were "no differences" in opinion on the likely causes of the outbreak, and that the WHO's initial findings were a "consensus report" with Chinese researchers.

"This is the first time that we've heard public statements of joint consensus on the origins of COVID," he said.