Today: 22 April 2025
25 May 2021
3 mins read

‘Wuhan lab staff got sick before Covid outbreak’

The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization’s decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19…reports Asian Lite News

A recent study has revealed that three researchers from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) had sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the COVID-19 pandemic, making it evident that the origin of Covid-19 could be through the labs in China.

However, China, as usual, has denied any lab leaks and said that it is nothing but a way to divert attention.

Citing a previously undisclosed US intelligence report, a renowned American publication, The Wall Street Journal on Sunday said that the report provides fresh details on the number of researchers affected, the timing of their illnesses, and their hospital visits and may add weight to calls for a broader probe of whether the COVID-19 virus could have escaped from the laboratory.

The report came on the eve of a meeting of the World Health Organization’s decision-making body, which is expected to discuss the next phase of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

The United States has always believed several theories by researchers that the coronavirus outbreak has been the result of China’s misuse of science in a lab and has been working with the World Health Organization to go to the root of the situation.

A Reuters report quoted a National Security Council official as saying that the Biden administration continued to have “serious questions about the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its origins within the People’s Republic of China.”

She said the US government was working with the WHO and other member states to support an expert-driven evaluation of the pandemic’s origins “that is free from interference or politicization.”

“We’re not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the source of SARS-CoV-2, but we’ve been clear that sound and technically credible theories should be thoroughly evaluated by international experts,” she said.

ALSO READ: Youngest Covid survivor discharged

The Journal said current and former officials familiar with the intelligence about the lab researchers expressed a range of views about the strength of the report’s supporting evidence, with one unnamed person saying it needed “further investigation and additional corroboration.”

The United States, Norway, Canada, Britain and other countries in March expressed concerns about the WHO-led COVID-19 origins study, and called for further investigation and full access to all pertinent human, animal and other data about the early stages of the outbreak.

On Sunday, China’s foreign ministry noted that a WHO-led team had concluded a lab leak was extremely unlikely after a visit in February to the virology institute.

“The US continues to hype the lab leak theory,” the ministry said in response to a request for comment by the Journal.

“Is it actually concerned about tracing the source or trying to divert attention?”

This is not the first time China has quashed such claims. In February also, it refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the WHO-led team probing the origins of the pandemic, according to one of the team’s investigators, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the outbreak began.(India News Network)

ALSO READ: China’s increasing elderly population creating policy challenge

Previous Story

UK’s most wanted fugitive arrested in Dubai

Next Story

Antisemitism and World Media

Latest from -Top News

Modi Begins Saudi Visit

This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to the historic city of Jeddah where the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) will also take place…reports Asian Lite News Prime

UAE Eyes Investment in Pakistan

Sheikh Abdullah will hold a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Islamabad for a two-day visit

‘Militarising Medical Aid’ 

Israel attempts to “militarise” humanitarian aid, displace Palestinians through Gaza blockade: Palestinian official  Israel’s recently-outlined policy of blocking humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip attempts to “militarise” humanitarian aid and displace Palestinians,

Indian PM to visit Saudi Arabia 

 Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that defence cooperation has grown rapidly in recent years, with joint exercises, training, and defence trade gaining momentum  India and Saudi Arabia are expected to strengthen their
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Israel shortens quarantine period for people tested Covid positive

The Israeli Health Ministry has announced in a statement the

Nepal confirms new Covid-19 variant

Nepal’s health authorities confirmed that three variants of the virus