WHO team calls Covid-19 origin study ‘a work in progress’, urges patience

The WHO team behind the study of the possible origins of Covid-19 called the report “a work in progress”. While countries expressed concerns over the findings, WHO urged them to be patient as they called the study a “first start.”

An international team behind a long-awaited study of the possible origins of Covid-19 with Chinese colleagues on Tuesday called it a “first start,” while the United States and allies expressed concerns about the findings and China trumpeted its cooperation. Team leader Peter Ben Embarek of the World Health Organization presented the team's first-phase look into the possible origins of the pandemic that has killed nearly 2.8 million people and pummeled economies since it first turned up in China over a year ago. The report, obtained by The Associated Press on Monday and formally published on Tuesday, said transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a lab leak is “extremely unlikely.” The WHO chief has said all hypotheses remain open.