The World Health Organization (WHO) called on Friday for all countries to work together to investigate the origins of the coronavirus that caused COVID-19, a day after China rejected plans for more checks on labs and markets in its territory.
The first human cases of COVID-19 were reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. China has repeatedly dismissed theories that the virus leaked from one of its laboratories.
When asked about China's rejection, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told a U.N. briefing in Geneva: "This is not about politics, it's not about a blame game."It is about basically a requirement we all have to try to understand how the pathogen came into the human population. In this sense, countries really have the responsibility to work together and to work with WHO in a spirit of partnership.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that the investigation was hampered by the lack of raw data on the first days of spread there.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China rejects WHO plan for study of COVID-19 originThe WHO this month proposed a second phase of studies into the origins of the coronavirus in China, including audits of laboratories and markets in the city of…
Read more »
China says 'shocked' by WHO plan for COVID-19 origins studyA senior Chinese health official said Thursday he was shocked by the World Health Organization's plan for the second phase of a COVID-19 origins study.
Read more »
China orders immediate review of subway flood controls as rains continueChinese government calls for immediate review of subway safety precautions after 12 die in flood
Read more »
China fines tech giants for content exploiting childrenChina's internet watchdog said Wednesday it has fined platforms operated by e-commerce company Alibaba and gaming firm Tencent for spreading sexually suggestive content involving children, as regulators seek to clean up content harmful to minors.
Read more »
All 14 workers lost in tunnel flood in China confirmed deadThe bodies of all 14 workers trapped when a tunnel under construction was flooded last week have been recovered, authorities in southern China said Thursday.
Read more »