WHO 'keen' to investigate origin of coronavirus on invitation from China

As demand for an inquiry into the origin of the coronavirus outbreak gained momentum, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reportedly said that it is hoping to get an invite from China to take part in its investigations. According to media reports, the UN health agency said that it is not involved in the studies that are currently underway in China to understand the source of the virus outbreak.

The origin of SARS-CoV-2 is not known but preliminary studies suggested that the bats could be the source since the coronavirus present in bats has a genome that is 96 per cent identical to the novel coronavirus. It is believed that pangolin was the immediate host because the bat coronavirus cannot bind to receptors in human cells, however, there has not been any concrete evidence.

The United States and Australia have been demanding an independent investigation into the origins of coronavirus outbreak, especially after French Nobel Laureate Luc Montagnier claimed that it originated from a Wuhan laboratory. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had said that all the members of the WHO should cooperate with the proposed independent inquiry into the spread of coronavirus.

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Morrison had been talking to several world leaders including US President Donald Trump to gather support for an inquiry into the origins of the virus. During a press conference on April 23, Morrison said that the inquiry into the virus outbreak is necessary so that the world can learn the lessons.

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'Obligations on WHO members'

The Australian Prime Minister had said that though the world is in the middle of the pandemic, Australia would have cooperated with such an inquiry irrespective of its timing. Morrison added that any member of the WHO should understand its responsibility in participating in such an organisation.

“If you're going to be a member of a club like the World Health Organization, there should be obligations and responsibilities attached to that,” said the Australian PM.

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(With agency inputs | Image: AP)