US accuses China of stonewalling study of origins of Covid-19

United States has accused China of stonewalling the study of origins of COVID-19.China yesterday rejected the next stage of a World Health Organisation plan to investigate the origins of the Corona virus pandemic. The WHO wants to audit laboratories in the area the virus was first identified.

Addressing a press briefing, White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki said, the US supports the WHO plan for Phase-II, which commits to ensuring these studies are scientific, transparent, expert-led and free from interference. She said, the US continues to call for



China to provide much-needed access to data and samples.

China’s Deputy Health Minister Zeng Yixin said, the WHO plan disregards common sense and defies science. He reiterated China’s position that some data could not be completely shared due to privacy concerns.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also urged Beijing, to be transparent and open to cooperate. They owe it to the millions who suffered and the millions who died to know what happened, he said.