Coronavirus DID start in China and exploded at a Wuhan wet market after spreading from bats - despite Beijing s claim it could have arrived on frozen Australian beef, WHO scientist says
An Australian scientist part of the WHO s Covid fact-finding mission in China said the virus started in Wuhan
WHO scientists have lent credence to Beijing s assertions that the Covid pandemic originated outside China
The investigators rubbished theory Covid leaked from a lab as fact-finding mission to China concludes
WHO called for further studies into whether virus was imported into China, possibly on frozen foods
Findings will be a PR coup for Beijing, which has repeatedly pointed finger of blame for pandemic overseas
WHO scientists have lent credence to Beijing s assertions that the Covid pandemic originated outside China
The investigators rubbished theory Covid leaked from a lab as fact-finding mission to China concludes
Dr Embarek, who led the probe, said theory is extremely unlikely and should not be studied any further
But he called for further studies into whether virus was imported into China, possibly on frozen foods
Findings will be a PR coup for Beijing, which has repeatedly pointed finger of blame for pandemic overseas
It will also provide ammunition to WHO s critics, who feared trip would become part of Chinese whitewashing
WHO team arrived at Wuhan Institute of Virology on Wednesday morning
Beijing has given them remit to probe how Covid jumped from animal to human
But more than a year since the disease broke out, it s unclear what they can find
Dr Peter Daszak, a British zoologist on the WHO team, said: They are sharing data with us that we have not seen before - that no one has seen before
13-strong WHO team departed their hotel in Wuhan this morning after completing 14-day Covid isolation
They will now begin investigating origins of virus, in a mission that is expected to be fraught with difficulty
It is strongly suspected that China, which obstructed and delayed their arrival, will try to hide information that could be embarrassing or incriminating while jumping on any suggestion that the virus originated elsewhere
US today demanded robust and clear probe while nervous Beijing officials urged team to respect science
Pompeo issued the public call on Friday night, one day after a WHO research team landed in Wuhan, where under strict Chinese oversight they are reportedly not investigating the lab.