Obstructing yet another attempt in finding the truth about the origin and spread of Covid-19, China refused to share the preliminary raw data from Wuhan about Covid-19 with the visiting World Health Organisation (WHO) team.
The expert team from the WHO completed its monthlong mission in China last week. The team left without getting any raw data.
The virus is believed to have originated in Wuhan city of China and spread from an animal to human. But, there were also reports that it’s a biological weapon and the virus originated in a Chinese laboratory.
The investigation was necessary to find the truth about these claims. But, Chinese authorities did not cooperate.
The authorities provided the visiting team with their own findings and analysis.
Chinese authorities have been claiming the virus originated somewhere outside and entered China, most likely through frozen food.
But, the lack of transparency around Chinese data gathering and sharing does not inspire confidence.
Member states of the WHO typically provide data to the organisation for the purpose of research and analysis. But, the organisation can not force the member states to share data if it refuses.
Many believe the virus spread much before the Chinese claim of December 2019 and the authorities there knew about it.
The virus killed more than a million people worldwide and brought the world to a standstill. Only recently, the vaccination drive has started against the vaccine.
Bharat has been at the forefront of the inoculation drive, supplying many countries with the doses.
Two vaccines, Covishield, manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India and Covaxin, developed and manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, have got approval for use in India. One developed by Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila is in the pipeline.
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