China Bans WHO From Entering The Country To Investigate The Origin Of COVID-19

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) said China had blocked the arrival of its team in order to investigate the origin of the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic. Whereas WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said two United Nations (UN) scientists had been flown to Wuhan.

Chinese authorities have suddenly said they have not approved the necessary permits for the UN team to enter the country. Whereas China had previously agreed to the investigation.

"I am very disappointed with this news," Tedros said at a press conference in Geneva. "I have been in contact with senior Chinese officials and I have made clear once again that the mission is a priority for WHO and the international team."

Citing CNN on Wednesday January 6, Tedros said the WHO was "eager to carry out the mission as quickly as possible" and he had been given assurances that China was accelerating internal procedures for "the earliest possible deployment."

Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO's health emergencies program said there were problems with visas and a team member had returned home. Others are waiting in transit in a third country.

WHO officials have long negotiated with China to allow teams of scientists to access key sites to carry out investigations into the origin of the virus. The coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan in December 2019 and likely jumped from an unidentified host species to humans.

In May 2020, WHO agreed to launch an investigation into the global response to the pandemic after more than 100 countries signed a resolution calling for an independent investigation. Ryan said the team hopes to immediately resolve the bureaucratic problem which can be resolved in good faith and "in the next few hours."

Urged the US and Australia

The United States (US) and Australia have led charges in criticizing China's handling of the early stages of the pandemic. The two countries accuse China of underestimating its severity and of preventing an effective response until it is too late.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed China for the global pandemic and announced that the US would end its relationship with the WHO. Trump said China had not properly reported the information it had about the coronavirus and had pressured the WHO to "mislead the world."

The Chinese government has repeatedly rejected accusations made by the US and other Western governments. China stated that it had warned of a new coronavirus from the start of the outbreak. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying previously said that the Bamboo Curtain Country warmly welcomed the arrival of the WHO team.

As countries around the world struggle with new spikes and outbreaks, China appears to be making a comeback. Last month, the country posted positive economic growth for the second straight quarter.