The World Health Organization expressed disappointment over China not finalising the permissions for the arrival of the team that was to investigate the origin of the coronavirus, said world health body chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday (local time).
“Over the past 24 hours, members of the international scientific team on COVID-19 virus origins began traveling from their home countries to China. Today we learned that Chinese officials have not yet finalised the necessary permissions for the team’s arrival in China,” he said.
The WHO Chief said that the official visit was as per arrangements jointly developed between WHO, the Chinese government, and countries for which the team was meant to travel through on their way to Wuhan.
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He added, “I am very disappointed with this news given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute. But I have been in contact with senior Chinese officials and I have once again made clear that the mission is a priority for WHO and the international team.”
Tedros said that the global health body is eager to get the mission underway “as soon as possible”.
Beijing had previously said it would give the WHO’s expert team full access to investigate the virus origin.
(With ANI Inputs)