WHO COVID Origin Investigation Team to Enter China on 14th... "Wuhan Field Investigation Uncertain"

Entry Allowed from the 5th After Dispute with Chinese Government
WHO "Visit for Scientific Answers, Not to Find the Culprit"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The World Health Organization (WHO) international investigation team for the origin of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has been granted entry after a standoff with the Chinese government. However, the visit to Wuhan City, known as the initial transmission site of COVID-19, remains uncertain, and given that more than a year has passed since the pandemic began, the effectiveness of the origin investigation is questionable. WHO emphasized that this is a purely scientific investigation with no political agenda, but it is known that the Chinese government is concerned about the possibility of strengthening the theory that China is responsible for COVID-19.

According to major foreign media such as CNN, on the 11th (local time), WHO announced that the COVID-19 origin investigation team will arrive in China on the 14th. Originally, the investigation team was scheduled to be dispatched on the 5th, but the Chinese government delayed the visit by not approving the visas of the team members and engaging in a standoff with WHO. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on Twitter that day, "We look forward to closely cooperating with our Chinese counterparts on this important mission to identify the source of this virus and the route of transmission to humans."

The WHO investigation team, consisting of about 10 scientists, plans to collect virus samples and investigate the origin of COVID-19 through interviews with infected individuals while visiting across China for four weeks after undergoing a two-week quarantine period upon arrival. The team also announced plans to visit Wuhan City, known as the initial outbreak site of COVID-19.

However, the Chinese government has not disclosed detailed schedules. According to The Washington Post (WP), it is uncertain whether the WHO investigation team will visit Wuhan. When the WHO team visited China in February last year to assess the early spread of COVID-19, they were not permitted to enter Wuhan.

The reason the Chinese government is not actively cooperating with the WHO investigation is believed to be concerns that it might reinforce the theory that COVID-19 originated in China. The Chinese government has completely denied the COVID-19 origin theory that has been continuously raised in the international medical community and was quite cautious during the WHO team's visit in February last year.

The WHO also appears to be highly aware of this atmosphere within the Chinese government. Michael Ryan, head of the WHO Emergency Response Team, emphasized during a virtual press briefing held that day, "This investigation is related to science, not politics," and added, "We hope to find scientific answers here, not to find culprits or people to blame."

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