WUHAN, China (AP) – World Health Organization experts visited an animal disease center in the Chinese city of Wuhan on Tuesday as part of their investigation into the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.
Team member Peter Daszak later told reporters that they had “excellent facilities, a very informative meeting” and wrote on Twitter that the team met with animal health staff in Hubei Province, visited the labs and had a discussion. “In-depth”, along with questions and answers.
No other details of the visit have been announced.
Team members wore full protective gear during Tuesday’s visit, an additional indication of China’s work in preparation for the WHO’s visit to Wuhan, where the first COVID-19 diseases appeared in late 2019.
Outside the hotel and in public spaces, experts have constantly worn professional or casual masks and clothing, but it is unclear whether they wore full-body protective suits at research institutes, hospitals and markets they have previously visited.
Intense negotiations preceded the WHO’s visit to Wuhan, as China maintained strict controls on access to virus information, possibly to avoid blame for alleged mistakes in its early response to the outbreak.
But on Monday, WHO officials in Geneva pushed against the suggestions, the team of experts from 10 countries did not get enough access or data.
WHO technical coordinator COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said the team plans to visit the Wuhan Institute of Virology, considered one of the major sources of information about the virus’s origins. Dr Michael Ryan, WHO’s chief of emergency, said the agency continued to ask for more data and said anyone with information on how the pandemic started should share it with the organization.
The data the team is collecting will add to what is expected to be a years-long search for answers involving animal sampling, genetic testing and epidemiological studies.
China has largely stopped the internal transmission of the virus through sometimes draconian measures, including strict testing and electronic surveillance. Wearing a mask in public is standard, and blockages are usually imposed on communities and even entire cities where cases are detected.
Schools have gone online, and travel has been drastically reduced during this month’s New Year’s holiday, with the government providing incentives for people to stay in cities rather than return to their hometowns for family gatherings.