On Thursday India backed Director-General Teodros Ghebreyesus’s statement that although the lab-leak theory was least likely among experts, further investigation into Covid-19 origin was needed.
While briefing to media, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We fully support the Director General’s expectation that future collaborative studies will include more timely and comprehensive data sharing. In this connection, we also welcome his readiness to deploy additional missions”.
On Tuesday, a report was released jointly by the WHO experts team and Chinese experts on the origin of Covid virus, Said the lab-leak allegation was impossible, though several nations including the US and UK believed the virus to be originated from Wuhan laboratories. But according to the report, the Covid-19 virus had probably passed on from bats to humans via another intermediary animal.
Although Ghebreyesus said a day later of the report released that no theory had been ruled out by WHO.
Nonetheless, the Indian government welcomed the report saying it signifies an important first step in tracing the origin of Covid-19 pandemic.
“It has listed four pathways concerning the emergence of the disease but has stressed the need for next-phase studies across the region. The report also stresses the need for further data and studies to reach robust conclusions,” said Arindam.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry had said at a press briefing on Wednesday that WHO investigation team leader Peter Ben Embarek and his team that conducted the study “Unanimously Agreed” the lab leak allegation was “Extremely Unlikely” and this was an important scientific evidence that came out in the joint study report released on Tuesday.
However, Tedros was spotted as saying that in his discussions with the WHO team, members had “expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data” as the AFP report quoted.
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