WHO Continues to Seek COVID-19 Data Five Years After Wuhan Outbreak
The UN health agency reiterates its call for China to share data and access to understand the origins of COVID-19.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed its request on Dec. 30 for China to provide data and access to help determine the origins of COVID-19, marking five years since the initial outbreak in Wuhan.
“This is a moral and scientific imperative,” the organization stated. “Without transparency, sharing, and cooperation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.“
The world has been kept in the dark about the origins of the pandemic in China, where the government exercised strict control over information about the virus and silenced individuals who tried to share unfiltered information related to the pandemic.
Earlier this month, a Republican-led oversight subcommittee released findings from a two-year investigation, revealing attempts by the Chinese regime, U.S. government agencies, and members of the international scientific community to conceal facts about the pandemic’s origins.
The identity of “patient zero” remains a mystery, with conflicting reports about the first documented case and discrepancies in the official timeline.
Leaked documents obtained by The Epoch Times have raised additional questions about the official timeline, indicating that hospitals in Wuhan were treating patients with COVID-like symptoms as early as September 2019.
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In a response on Dec. 31, China’s foreign ministry claimed to have shared the most data and research results among the international community.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, informed reporters on Dec. 31 that China supported and engaged in scientific efforts to investigate the origins of the virus and opposed any political manipulation.
‘Hold China Accountable’
The Chinese regime has disregarded calls from the WHO for transparency regarding the global health crisis. It wasn’t until January 2021 that Beijing permitted a WHO-led team to conduct an investigation in and around Wuhan, albeit with restrictions on interactions with the local community.
During the investigation, the team sought access to patient data from December 2019 but were only provided with a summary, according to Australian microbiologist Dominic Dwyer, a team member.
Following the visit, the WHO released a report attributing the origins of the disease to bats and dismissing the lab leak theory. However, the WHO emphasized the need for further studies and data to reach definitive conclusions.
The Chinese regime has rejected the need for additional visits and attempted to shift investigations into early cases to other countries. Since early 2020, the CCP has engaged in a disinformation campaign, promoting baseless conspiracy theories to deflect scrutiny over its initial cover-up of the pandemic.
A recent report estimated the economic cost of the pandemic in the United States alone to exceed $18 trillion, with calls for accountability for the Chinese regime’s actions.
“It’s critical that the United States takes the lead in holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for their cover-up,” stated Derrick Morgan, executive vice president of the Heritage Foundation.
“We must hold Beijing accountable to prevent future pandemics,” emphasized John Ratcliffe, chairman of the commission.
