The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the new coronavirus is "natural" at a time when US President Donald Trump has linked it to a Chinese laboratory.
"As for the origin of the virus in Wuhan, we have heard from many scientists who have studied this virus and we assure you that this virus is of natural origin," said Michael Ryan, director of emergency programs at the WHO, when asked by a reporter. "What is important is to identify the natural host of this virus," he said in a press conference at the organization's headquarters in Geneva. He explained that "the main goal is to ensure that we can understand the virus, understand the transmission from animal to human and understand how the line between animal species and human was violated."
The aim of this research is "to implement public health and prevention measures in order to prevent this from happening again," he stressed repeatedly. The WHO today called on Chinese authorities to invite him to take part in "ongoing or planned" investigations into the animal's origins. The call came as the WHO has come under fire from the United States, which has accused it of delaying sounding the alarm so as not to offend Beijing.
WHO Tentro leader Adanom Gebregesus once again defended his actions yesterday, stressing that "we did not waste time" and that he went to China on January 28 to meet with President Xi Jinping to accept the visit of an international team. . "I remember people advising us not to go to China because we did not know how the virus behaved," he said, adding that he was not afraid to go there.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ-AFP-Reuters