The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) has evinced interest in joining the Chinese probe into the animal origins of the SARS-Cov-2 virus that is behind the deadly COVID-19.
“WHO would be keen to work with international partners and at the invitation of the Chinese government to participate in an investigation around the animal origins”, said Tarik Jasarevic, the Spokesperson of the World Health Organization.
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This is expected to complicate the relations between the WHO and the US further.
In recent times, US President Donald Trump has turned his ire on the world health body and accused it of being China’s PR agency. He also said that the organization and its head, both are responsible for killing more than 2 lakh people who have died due to this virus.
Trump has also accused China of covering up the outbreak of the virus, an accusation that China strongly denies.
The US Secretary of State too questioned the organization and said that the Head of the organization travels to China and then decides not to declare it as a pandemic.
The US has in recent times cut funding to the WHO. The US is the largest donor with a contribution of almost USD 500 million.
China in comparison donates only USD 44 million.