More questions than answers

VIRUS PROBE: TEAM PROVIDES NO INSIGHT INTO ORIGINS

Chinese contingent head confirms transmission from animals likely.

Ajoint World health Organisation (WHO) and China team probing the origins of Covid-19 wrapped up yesterday without providing any insights into the origins of the pandemic, as one of the Middle East’s worsthit nations began a vaccination campaign.

Transmission from animals was likely, said Liang Wannian, head of the Chinese contingent, but the host of the virus, which has claimed more than 2.3 million lives and gutted the global economy “remain to be identified”.

The WHO mission – which Beijing repeatedly delayed – was dogged by fears of a whitewash, with the US demanding a “robust” probe and China firing back with a warning not to “politicise” the investigation.

During the closely monitored visit, reporters were largely kept at arms’ length from the experts.

Liang, supported by WHO foreign expert Ben Embarek, said there was “no indication” the sickness was circulating in Wuhan before December 2019, when the first official cases were recorded.

Embarek also scotched controversial theories the virus had leaked from a lab, calling it “extremely unlikely”.

As the global tally of infections passed 106 million, Britain was expected to become the latest country yesterday to announce mandatory coronavirus tests in quarantine for all arrivals.

Iran began its vaccination campaign against Covid-19 yesterday to fight the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak of the illness.

It will initially use Russia’s Sputnik V shots, with 4.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines also expected under the Covax mechanism, which intends to ensure procurement and equitable international distribution of jabs.

The AstraZeneca vaccine makes up the bulk of initial Covax deliveries to some 145 countries – mostly in poorer parts of the world – but it suffered a setback in recent days with a trial showing it only offers minimal protection against the coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa.

Richard Hatchett, head of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said it was “vastly too early to be dismissing this vaccine”.

“It is absolutely crucial to use the tools that we have as effectively as we possibly can,” he said at a WHO press briefing. –