WHO advance team heads China to look into coronavirus origin as part of global mission

While the global infections of the coronavirus outbreak have surpassed 12.4 million and deaths have crossed 559,000 deaths, the advance two-member experts from the World Health Organisation are headed to China to look into the origins of the pathogen that causes COVID-19. The novel coronavirus, which is believed to have originated from China’s ‘wet markets’, the WHO head said on July 10 that the experts will study how the virus was able to ‘jump’ from humans to animals. In the press conference WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had announced that the advance team by UN health agency was currently ‘en route’.

WHO chief said “Two WHO experts are currently en route to China to meet with fellow scientists and learn about the progress made in understanding the animal reservoir for COVID-19 and how the disease jumped between animals and humans. This will help lay the groundwork for the WHO-led international mission into the origins.”

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'Lack of leadership'

The World Health Organisation (WHO) head has said the “greatest threat is not the virus itself” and condemned the “lack of leadership”. Making an emotional plea for global solidarity and leadership, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press conference that the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is a “test” for unity among nations across the world as the novel coronavirus continues to tighten its grip. 

WHO chief said, “My friends, make no mistake. The greatest threat we face now is not the virus itself. Rather, it is the lack of leadership and solidarity at the global and national levels.”

“That is why I said each and every individual should reflect. This is a tragedy that is forcing us to miss many of our friends and lose many lives. And we cannot defeat this pandemic as a divided world,” he added.

While elaborating on the need for a common ground for the entire world, the WHO chief also asked, “how is it difficult to unite?” and tackle the “common enemy” that has caused great crisis. From socio-economic to psychological repercussions, the coronavirus outbreak has continued to impact millions of people since the last six months after it was identified in China. According to the WHO chief, the “best way” to move forward is “together”. Tedros also said that even though tackling a difficulty with unity are the ‘basics’, they are still the ‘time-lasted truth’. 

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