WHO Dispatches COVID-19 Investigation Team to Uncover Origins of COVID-19... U.S. Welcomes Move

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The World Health Organization (WHO) has dispatched experts to China to investigate the origins of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

On the 10th (local time), Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson, stated in a regular video briefing that a team of investigators, including epidemiologists and animal health experts, is scheduled to arrive in Beijing, China, this weekend. The investigation areas will be decided in consultation with the Chinese government.

Spokesperson Harris explained, "It is a major issue of interest whether COVID-19 was transmitted from animals to humans or from which species it was transmitted to humans," adding, "We will also determine if there was an intermediate host."

In response, the United States welcomed the WHO's investigation plan. The U.S. has long claimed that although COVID-19 originated in China, the Chinese government concealed it, causing the pandemic.

Andrew Bremberg, U.S. Representative to Geneva, stated in a press release, "This investigation is a necessary step to transparently understand how the epidemic spread worldwide."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.