WHO: looking forward to meeting Wuhan scientists

World Health Organisation investigators on Wednesday visited a research centre in the Chinese city of Wuhan that has been the subject of speculation about the origins of the coronavirus, with one member saying they intended to meet key staff and press them on critical issues.

Japanese broadcaster TBS showed footage of team member zoologist Peter Daszak saying the team is looking forward to meeting with all the key people here and asking all the informed questions that need to be asked.

The WHO team's visit to the Wuhan Institute of Virology is a highlight of their mission to gather data and search for clues as to where the virus originated and how it spread.

One of China's top virus research labs, the institute built an archive of genetic information about bat coronaviruses after the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

That has led to unproven allegations that it may have a link to the original outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan in late 2019.