WHO chief ’s remarks questioned
Scientist slams Tedros’ comment that ‘all hypothesis remain on the table’ in relation to virus
A scientist who took part in the international team studying the origins of COVID-19 has expressed surprise and dissatisfaction at remarks made by World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus over the hypothesis that the virus leaked from a laboratory in China.
If the next phase of global source tracing for the virus comes to a deadlock, the WHO must assume its responsibility, said the scientist, who requested anonymity.
The response from the scientist came after Tedros said in a briefing on March 30 that although the team has concluded a laboratory leak is the least likely hypothesis, “this requires further investigation, potentially with additional missions involving specialist experts”.
Tedros added he is ready to deploy an additional mission, and “all hypotheses remain on the table” as far as the WHO is concerned.
The WHO director-general has disregarded the hard-won research outcomes and consensuses among the international science community in his remarks, the scientist said.
“It should not be a position held by the WHO,” he said, adding that pressure from the United States and the WHO hierarchy was palpable during the communication process with international colleagues.
He added there are some forces harboring ulterior motives that use Tedros’ remarks to question the authority and scientific nature of the report from the international team. “Experts from the joint team are all very worried and dissatisfied.”
An international team of scientists visited Wuhan between Jan 14 and Feb 10 to conduct a COVID-19 origintracing study, before releasing a 120page report on March 30 saying the virus most probably jumped from an animal, potentially a bat or pangolin, to an unknown intermediate animal host and then to humans.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said the report, which made it clear that it is “extremely unlikely” that the virus spread to humans through a laboratory leak, is highly representative and professional as it was jointly drafted by over 30 top experts globally.
The international team conducted research and drafted its report independently in line with WHO procedures, he said.
Wang added that many international experts have on many occasions underscored that a laboratory leak was extremely unlikely and there was no difficulty in accessing raw data.
The scientist said he does not understand why the WHO chief would make such a statement in spite of the research and consensus among experts.
He explained that the hypothesis that the virus emerged from a laboratory leak was without any scientific basis in the first place, and this was a virtual consensus among the international scientific community.
He also rebutted Tedros’ remarks that members of the international team described difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data, saying that Chinese and WHO experts conducted joint research and analysis on data in Wuhan.
“There is no difference for Chinese and foreign experts in access to data. The international expert team has expressed their full understanding, and the two sides have conducted frank exchanges. There were no difficulties over the issue as the directorgeneral has described.”