WHO declares the new advisory group may be the last chance to look for Covid origins

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization told its newly formed advisory group on dangerous pathogens that may be ‘our last chance to determine the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and urged china to give data from early cases. The first human cases of Covid 19 were reported in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019 December. China dismissed the theories that the virus leaked from one of its laboratories and has said no more visits are needed. A WHO-led team spent four weeks in and around Wuhan this year with Chinese scientists and was told in March that the virus probably had been transmitted from bats to humans by another animal but further research was needed.

On Wednesday, the WHO named the 26 proposed members of its scientific advisory group on the Origins of Novel Pathogens. WHO wants to take a step back, creates an environment where we can again look at the scientific issues. He said, this is our best chance and this may be our last chance to understand the origins of this virus.