WHO’S expert team visits Wuhan food market

A team of WHO experts investigating the origins of Covid-19 on Sunday went to a market in Wuhan where one of the first reported clusters of infections emerged over a year ago, with one member tweeting the visit was “critical” to understanding the virus. Members of the group arrived at Huanan seafood market -- which has been sealed since January last year -- driving into its barricaded premises as guards quickly blocked others from entering. The mission, delayed by China and weighed down by political baggage, has a remit to explore how the virus jumped from animal to human. Team member Peter Daszak described the tours on Twitter as “very important site visits”, adding that the team had “met with key staff at both markets and asked questions to help better understand the factors involved in the emergence of Covid”. The experts did not take questions, and a member shrugged when asked about his expectations for the visit.