World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has proposed a second phase of studies into the origins of the coronavirus in China, including audits of laboratories and markets in Wuhan, calling for transparency from authorities.
WHO is establishing a “permanent” new group to study the origins of COVID-19 and will soon launch an open call for nominations for members, Tedros said on Friday.
The International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO, will play a role in the next phase of the study on the origins of the virus, but also on the origins of future new pathogens, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement delivered to member states on Friday.
He said members of this new group will be selected based on their technical expertise while taking into account gender balance and geographical representation. WHO will also appoint technical advisers to SAGO.
“I thank China and other Member States who wrote to me yesterday, and I agree that finding the origins of this virus is a scientific exercise that must be kept free from politics,” Tedros said.
“For that to happen, we expect China to support this next phase of the scientific process by sharing all relevant data in a spirit of transparency,” he added, while also asking member states to support the process “by refraining from politicising it.”
The announcement follows Tedros’ remarks Thursday during a press briefing where he asked China to share raw data, be transparent, and cooperate for the next phase of the study.
(With inputs from agencies)
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
[stock_ticker symbols="" show="" number_format="" decimals="" static="" speed="" class=""]
[tdn_block_newsletter_subscribe title_text="Subscribe to our newsletter" description="U2lnbi11cCUyMGZvciUyMEZSRUUlMjBkYWlseSUyMEdsb2JhbCUyME5ld3MlMjBicmVhayUyMGFsZXJ0cyUyQyUyMGFuZCUyMG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJzLg==" input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_text="Subscribe" tds_newsletter2-image="1818" tds_newsletter2-image_bg_color="#c3ecff" tds_newsletter3-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter4-image="1819" tds_newsletter4-image_bg_color="#fffbcf" tds_newsletter4-btn_bg_color="#f3b700" tds_newsletter4-check_accent="#f3b700" tds_newsletter5-tdicon="tdc-font-fa tdc-font-fa-envelope-o" tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color="#000000" tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color_hover="#4db2ec" tds_newsletter5-check_accent="#000000" tds_newsletter6-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter6-btn_bg_color="#da1414" tds_newsletter6-check_accent="#da1414" tds_newsletter7-image="1820" tds_newsletter7-btn_bg_color="#1c69ad" tds_newsletter7-check_accent="#1c69ad" tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_size="20" tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_line_height="28px" tds_newsletter8-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color="#00649e" tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color_hover="#21709e" tds_newsletter8-check_accent="#00649e" embedded_form_code="JTNDIS0tJTIwQmVnaW4lMjBNYWlsY2hpbXAlMjBTaWdudXAlMjBGb3JtJTIwLS0lM0UlMEElM0NsaW5rJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyRiUyRmNkbi1pbWFnZXMubWFpbGNoaW1wLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkY29kZSUyRmNsYXNzaWMtMTBfNy5jc3MlMjIlMjByZWwlM0QlMjJzdHlsZXNoZWV0JTIyJTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZjc3MlMjIlM0UlMEElM0NzdHlsZSUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTJGY3NzJTIyJTNFJTBBJTA5JTIzbWNfZW1iZWRfc2lnbnVwJTdCYmFja2dyb3VuZCUzQSUyM2ZmZiUzQiUyMGNsZWFyJTNBbGVmdCUzQiUyMGZvbnQlM0ExNHB4JTIwSGVsdmV0aWNhJTJDQXJpYWwlMkNzYW5zLXNlcmlmJTNCJTIwJTdEJTBBJTA5JTJGKiUyMEFkZCUyMHlvdXIlMjBvd24lMjBNYWlsY2hpbXAlMjBmb3JtJTIwc3R5bGUlMjBvdmVycmlkZXMlMjBpbiUyMHlvdXIlMjBzaXRlJTIwc3R5bGVzaGVldCUyMG9yJTIwaW4lMjB0aGlzJTIwc3R5bGUlMjBibG9jay4lMEElMDklMjAlMjAlMjBXZSUyMHJlY29tbWVuZCUyMG1vdmluZyUyMHRoaXMlMjBibG9jayUyMGFuZCUyMHRoZSUyMHByZWNlZGluZyUyMENTUyUyMGxpbmslMjB0byUyMHRoZSUyMEhFQUQlMjBvZiUyMHlvdXIlMjBIVE1MJTIwZmlsZS4lMjAqJTJGJTBBJTNDJTJGc3R5bGUlM0UlMEElM0NkaXYlMjBpZCUzRCUyMm1jX2VtYmVkX3NpZ251cCUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQ2Zvcm0lMjBhY3Rpb24lM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdsb2JhbG5ld3NicmVha2luZy51czcubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tJTJGc3Vic2NyaWJlJTJGcG9zdCUzRnUlM0RjMTgwNTU4ZmY0ZWE3YzhjOWNmNDkzODUxJTI2YW1wJTNCaWQlM0RiODkwYThjYmQ1JTIyJTIwbWV0aG9kJTNEJTIycG9zdCUyMiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWMtZW1iZWRkZWQtc3Vic2NyaWJlLWZvcm0lMjIlMjBuYW1lJTNEJTIybWMtZW1iZWRkZWQtc3Vic2NyaWJlLWZvcm0lMjIlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMnZhbGlkYXRlJTIyJTIwdGFyZ2V0JTNEJTIyX2JsYW5rJTIyJTIwbm92YWxpZGF0ZSUzRCUyMiUyMiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQ2RpdiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWNfZW1iZWRfc2lnbnVwX3Njcm9sbCUyMiUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2gyJTNFU3Vic2NyaWJlJTIwdG8lMjBvdXIlMjBtYWlsbGluZyUyMGxpc3QlM0MlMkZoMiUzRSUwQSUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyaW5kaWNhdGVzLXJlcXVpcmVkJTIyJTNFJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyYXN0ZXJpc2slMjIlM0UqJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUyMGluZGljYXRlcyUyMHJlcXVpcmVkJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJtYy1maWVsZC1ncm91cCUyMiUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2xhYmVsJTIwZm9yJTNEJTIybWNlLUVNQUlMJTIyJTNFRW1haWwlMjBBZGRyZXNzJTIwJTIwJTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyYXN0ZXJpc2slMjIlM0UqJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmxhYmVsJTNFJTBBJTA5JTNDaW5wdXQlMjB0eXBlJTNEJTIyZW1haWwlMjIlMjB2YWx1ZSUzRCUyMiUyMiUyMG5hbWUlM0QlMjJFTUFJTCUyMiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIycmVxdWlyZWQlMjBlbWFpbCUyMiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWNlLUVNQUlMJTIyJTNFJTBBJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJtYy1maWVsZC1ncm91cCUyMiUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2xhYmVsJTIwZm9yJTNEJTIybWNlLUZOQU1FJTIyJTNFRmlyc3QlMjBOYW1lJTIwJTNDJTJGbGFiZWwlM0UlMEElMDklM0NpbnB1dCUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTIwdmFsdWUlM0QlMjIlMjIlMjBuYW1lJTNEJTIyRk5BTUUlMjIlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMiUyMiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWNlLUZOQU1FJTIyJTNFJTBBJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJtYy1maWVsZC1ncm91cCUyMiUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2xhYmVsJTIwZm9yJTNEJTIybWNlLUxOQU1FJTIyJTNFTGFzdCUyME5hbWUlMjAlM0MlMkZsYWJlbCUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQ2lucHV0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMjIlMjB2YWx1ZSUzRCUyMiUyMiUyMG5hbWUlM0QlMjJMTkFNRSUyMiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyJTIyJTIwaWQlM0QlMjJtY2UtTE5BTUUlMjIlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0UlMEElMDklM0NkaXYlMjBpZCUzRCUyMm1jZS1yZXNwb25zZXMlMjIlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmNsZWFyJTIyJTNFJTBBJTA5JTA5JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJyZXNwb25zZSUyMiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWNlLWVycm9yLXJlc3BvbnNlJTIyJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJkaXNwbGF5JTNBbm9uZSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUwOSUwOSUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIycmVzcG9uc2UlMjIlMjBpZCUzRCUyMm1jZS1zdWNjZXNzLXJlc3BvbnNlJTIyJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJkaXNwbGF5JTNBbm9uZSUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUwOSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQyEtLSUyMHJlYWwlMjBwZW9wbGUlMjBzaG91bGQlMjBub3QlMjBmaWxsJTIwdGhpcyUyMGluJTIwYW5kJTIwZXhwZWN0JTIwZ29vZCUyMHRoaW5ncyUyMC0lMjBkbyUyMG5vdCUyMHJlbW92ZSUyMHRoaXMlMjBvciUyMHJpc2slMjBmb3JtJTIwYm90JTIwc2lnbnVwcy0tJTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJwb3NpdGlvbiUzQSUyMGFic29sdXRlJTNCJTIwbGVmdCUzQSUyMC01MDAwcHglM0IlMjIlMjBhcmlhLWhpZGRlbiUzRCUyMnRydWUlMjIlM0UlM0NpbnB1dCUyMHR5cGUlM0QlMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTIwbmFtZSUzRCUyMmJfYzE4MDU1OGZmNGVhN2M4YzljZjQ5Mzg1MV9iODkwYThjYmQ1JTIyJTIwdGFiaW5kZXglM0QlMjItMSUyMiUyMHZhbHVlJTNEJTIyJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJjbGVhciUyMiUzRSUzQ2lucHV0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnN1Ym1pdCUyMiUyMHZhbHVlJTNEJTIyU3Vic2NyaWJlJTIyJTIwbmFtZSUzRCUyMnN1YnNjcmliZSUyMiUyMGlkJTNEJTIybWMtZW1iZWRkZWQtc3Vic2NyaWJlJTIyJTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJidXR0b24lMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZkaXYlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0MlMkZkaXYlM0UlMEElM0MlMkZmb3JtJTNFJTBBJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBQnklMjBjbGlja2luZyUyMG9uJTIwU3Vic2NyaWJlJTIwYnV0dG9uJTJDJTIweW91JTIwYWdyZWUlMjB0byUyMHJlY2VpdmUlMjBlbWFpbHMlMkMlMjBpbmNsdWRpbmclMjBuZXdzbGV0dGVycyUyQyUyMGFsZXJ0cyUyQyUyMGFuZCUyMHByb21vdGlvbnMlMjB0aGF0JTIwaGF2ZSUyMGJlZW4lMjBjYXJlZnVsbHklMjBzZWxlY3RlZCUyMGZvciUyMHlvdSUyMGZyb20lMjBHbG9iYWwlMjBOZXdzJTIwQnJlYWsuJTIwWW91JTIwY2FuJTIwdW5zdWJzY3JpYmUlMjBhdCUyMGFueSUyMHRpbWUuJTBBJTNDIS0tRW5kJTIwbWNfZW1iZWRfc2lnbnVwLS0lM0U=" tds_newsletter="tds_newsletter1" tds_newsletter1-input_bar_display="" tds_newsletter1-title_color="#595959" tds_newsletter1-input_bar_border_radius="5" tds_newsletter1-check_size="15" tds_newsletter3-all_border_width="100" tds_newsletter3-all_border_style="" tds_newsletter3-check_size="15" tds_newsletter3-title_color="#1763d6" tds_newsletter3-border_radius="5" tds_newsletter3-btn_bg_color_hover="#ed4802" tds_newsletter1-input_border_color="#999999" tds_newsletter1-btn_bg_color="#fe9900"]