WHO Forms New Investigation Team to Reexamine COVID-19 Origins

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
[Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to form a new investigation team to resume the probe into the origins of COVID-19.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 26th (local time) that "WHO plans to complete the selection of the second investigation team by the end of this week."

The second investigation team is expected to consist of about 20 scientists, including laboratory safety and biosecurity experts, geneticists, and animal disease specialists well-versed in viral 'cross-species transmission.' WSJ stated, "The newly formed team may investigate the possibility of a laboratory leak of the virus that caused COVID-19."

WHO plans to launch a permanent scientific advisory panel on the origins of emerging pathogens, assigning among their tasks the investigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, since China denies the laboratory leak theory, it remains uncertain whether the WHO investigation team will be allowed to operate within the country.

The formation of the second investigation team comes amid pressure from the United States and its allies on WHO to resume the COVID-19 origin investigation. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly pressured WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, both publicly and privately, to restart the investigation and to include at least one American expert on the team.

WHO's first investigation team of 10 members consisted entirely of non-U.S. experts, who judged the possibility of a laboratory leak to be extremely low. However, they urged Chinese authorities to analyze blood bank samples and conduct further investigations into early suspected infection cases.

WSJ explained, "For Director-General Tedros, who has formalized his bid for re-election, U.S. support is more crucial than ever." Regarding China's claim that the new investigation team should focus on laboratories outside China, such as those in Italy or the U.S. military bio-research lab at Fort Detrick, Maryland, Director-General Tedros is reportedly opposed to this stance.