WHO experts begin probe into coronavirus origin in China

World Health
Organization experts have begun an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus
pandemic in China. The disease doesn’t seem to be slowing down and has already
affected over 100 million people across the globe and killed more than 2.1
million.

Beijing, that managed
to dodge the international efforts to track the origins of the virus for a long
time, recently allowed the WHO team into China after repeated delays.

On Thursday, the WHO
experts left their Wuhan quarantine hotel in a bus, wearing masks. They,
however, did not confirm when they are going to start their investigation in
the ground-zero city.

Also Read: Pride and caution in Wuhan on lockdown anniversary

China has claimed that
the virus emerged somewhere else and has also been enraged by calls led by the
United States and Australia for an independent probe.

“It’s imperative
that we get to the bottom of the early days of the pandemic in China, and we’ve
been supportive of an international investigation that we feel should be robust
and clear,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday, expressing concern
about the “misinformation” from “some sources in China”.

Also Read: Too early to draw conclusions about the origin of COVID-19 as investigations are underway: WHO

On Thursday, China
shot back and warned against any kind of “political interference” in
the WHO mission.

Meanwhile, relatives
of those who died in Wuhan have accused Chinese authorities of deleting their
social media group and putting pressure on them to keep quiet. This was apparently
done in a bid to avoid any embarrassment during the WHO probe.