As one of his first acts as president, Joe Biden rejoined the World Health Organization. But the recent comment by a top WHO official about the origin of the new coronavirus casts doubt on the decision.
Michael Ryan, the executive director of WHO’s health emergency program, said at a news conference last week that it is “too early” to say that the coronavirus originated in China.
“I think we have to say this very clearly; all hypotheses are on the table and it is certainly too early to conclude where exactly this virus started, inside or outside China, ”he said.
Ryan responded to an NBC reporter who asked about China’s denials that the virus originated in Wuhan or elsewhere in the country.
Let’s take a step back, let’s follow the evidence, let’s follow the science. Our team is on site, they have good experience with our Chinese colleagues. We work through the data. The data will lead us to the next stage, where we then have to look at the origin of this virus, ”said Ryan.
In November, however, Ryan said it would be “highly speculative for us to say the disease was not emerging in China.”
Days after Biden signed an executive order to rejoin America @WHO, WHO tells NBC it is “too early” to say Covid originated in China pic.twitter.com/Kcn0uEkt9q
– Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 26, 2021
Former President Trump decided to formally withdraw the US from the global health organization, accusing the world body of being in China’s pocket.
“The world is now suffering as a result of the Chinese government’s crime,” Trump said, adding that China was pressuring the WHO to “mislead the world” about COVID-19. “China has full control over the World Health Organization,” he added – a claim that the WHO has denied.