JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) said that all available evidence shows that the new corona virus, which causes COVID-19, actually originated from animals in China. The WHO emphasized that there was no virus manipulation or indications that the virus was produced in a laboratory.
This denial comes after US President Donald Trump said his government was trying to investigate whether the virus originated in a laboratory in the city of Wuhan, where the first time the COVID-19 outbreak emerged in December 2019.
"All available evidence suggests that the virus originated in animals and was not manipulated or created in a laboratory or elsewhere. Most likely, most likely, the virus originated from animals," WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told a news conference in Geneva. from Reuters, Wednesday 22 April.
It was unclear, Chaib added, how the virus could pass to humans. However, there must be an intermediate animal host. "It most likely has an ecological reservoir in bats. But how the virus came from bats to humans remains to be researched and discovered," he added.
Chaib did not respond to requests to explain whether there was a chance the virus escaped the laboratory by mistake. However, the Wuhan Institute of Virology has dismissed rumors that it allowed the virus to escape and eventually spread to nearly the rest of the world.
Asked about the impact of Trump's decision last week to delay funding to the WHO for the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chaib said his party was still trying to see the situation after the announcement of the funding cuts. In addition, it is certain that the WHO will continue to work with other countries to fill any gaps.
"It is very important to continue what we are doing not only for COVID-19 but for many other health programs," Chaib added, referring to action against polio, HIV and malaria.
The US itself is the biggest contributor to WHO. Other big contributors to WHO funding are the Gates Foundation and the UK.
US suspicion
Last week, Trump said his government was trying to find out whether the new coronavirus came from a laboratory in Wuhan. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo even said that the Chinese should come clean on what they know.
At a conference held at the White House, Trump was asked about reports of the virus escaping the laboratory in Wuhan and he said he knew about that information.
"We are doing a very thorough examination of this dire situation that happened," he said.
Asked if he had told Chinese President Xi Jinping of his country's intention to carry out an investigation in Wuhan, Trump said: I don't want to discuss what I talked to him about the laboratory, I just don't want to discuss it, that's inappropriate now.
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