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Updated May 26th, 2021 at 16:14 IST

WHO scientist for COVID-19 mission to China calls for new 'follow up' research trip

Koopmans said, scientists conducted research into evidence of first COVID-19 cases that emerged out of Wuhan, and that calls for a follow-up WHO trip to China.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
WHO
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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A Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans who was on the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 mission to China on Tuesday backed the follow-up trip to Beijing including the Wuhan Institute of Virology for more research into the origin of the novel coronavirus. Koopmans was part of a WHO-led team that spent four months gathering evidence of the pandemic outbreak and the first cases in China earlier this year. Speaking at a panel led by the US that constituted international experts that evaluated the source of the coronavirus, the  World Health Organisation’s scientist said that the team would be eager to carry out new research in several areas and as the WHO was awaiting the outcome of the discussions. Dutch Virologist pushed for a “clear mandate” to conduct research on the origin of the COVID-19 and not an audit of Beijing-provided information. 

Koopmans said that the scientists conducted the research into the evidence of the first cases that emerged out of the Wuhan, and that also called for a follow-up research of varying mechanisms or there would not be any significant progress in the outcome of the result. Koopmans pushed for additional research across many areas in China for assembling more information that would lead to more accuracy in finding the origin of COVID-19. Koopmans team of scientists at WHO published a report in collaboration with Chinese scientists earlier this year stating that the coronavirus had most likely transmitted from bats to humans. “Introduction through a laboratory incident was considered to be an extremely unlikely pathway," the report said.

Dr. Fauci demands open investigation

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and President Biden's chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, had also supported the transparent investigation of the coronavirus origins, saying that he was “not convinced it developed naturally outside the Wuhan lab.” When asked about the virus’ origin, according to Fox, Fauci told PolitiFact’s Katie Sanders in a broadcast of a live event: “I am not convinced about that. I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened.”

He further continued, "Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out. So, you know, that's the reason why I said I'm perfectly in favour of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus.”

 

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Published May 26th, 2021 at 16:14 IST

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