India welcomes WHO decision to do a global study on the origin of Covid-19
The WHO decision comes in the backdrop of the United States calling for a 'transparent' second phase of investigation into the origins of Covid-19.
FollowIndia on Friday hailed the World Health Organisation's decision of convening a global study on the origin of Coronavirus.
The WHO's decision comes in the backdrop of the United States calling for a 'transparent' second phase of investigation into the origins of Covid-19 and the route of introduction to the human population.
India has called for further data and studies to reach the end results.
In response to media queries on WHO-convened global study on the origin of Covid-19, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "The WHO convened global study on the origin of Covid-19 is an important first step. It stressed the need for next phase studies as also for further data and studies to reach robust conclusions."
The follow up of the WHO report, and further studies deserve the understanding and cooperation of all, he said.
In January, a global group of experts visited Wuhan in China to investigate the origins of the virus and identified two most likely scenarios that caused the virus transmission to the human population, including the one involving intermediary host species.
During the initial days of the outbreak, it was being believed that it spread from a laboratory, but the WHO's global study group found it 'extremely unlikely'.
Recently, top American infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci had raised doubts over the initial reports.
He said, "I am not convinced... I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we find out to the best of our ability exactly what happened."
"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 is the reason why I said I am perfectly in favour of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus," Fauci added.
On May 27, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the US, turning a blind eye to facts, science, the questionable study of origins and botched response at home, kept clamouring for additional investigation in China.
"This shows that they don't care about facts or truth and have zero interest in a serious science-based study of origins. Their aim is to use the pandemic to pursue stigmatization and political manipulation to shift the blame."
"They are disrespectful to science, irresponsible to people's lives, and counter-productive to concerted global efforts to fight the virus," he added.
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