China deflects questions after WHO chief revives lab leak theory

China deflected questions over an investigation into the origins of Covid-19 on Wednesday, after the WHO chief revived a theory it may have leaked from a Chinese lab and the United States led concerns over data access. A report by WHO and Chinese experts released Tuesday had judged the lab-leak hypothesis highly unlikely, saying the virus behind Covid-19 had probably jumped from bats to humans via an intermediary animal.China welcomed the report, seeing it as vindication of its handling of the investigation following allegations it had tried to delay and then restrict it.The report also initially appeared to back China’s firm rejection of theories that the pandemic may have been triggered by a leak from a virology lab in Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus first emerged.But WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus on Tuesday reopened the lab leak theory as he raised concerns about the level of access China provided to the experts during their visit to Wuhan in January.“In my discussions with the team, they expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data,” Tedros said, calling for “comprehensive data sharing” in future investigations.Tedros also said that although experts concluded the laboratory leak was the “least likely” hypothesis, this theory needed to be probed further.“I do not believe that this assessment was extensive enough,” Tedros said of the possibility of a leak.“As far as WHO is concerned all hypotheses remain on the table.”
AFP.com, 31 March, 2021