As one of his first acts as president, Joe Biden rejoined the World Health Organization. But the recent comment by a senior WHO official on the origins of the new coronavirus calls into question the decision.
Michael Ryan, the executive director of the WHO health emergency program, said during a press conference last week that it is “too early” to say the coronavirus originated in China.
“I think we have to say it very clearly; all the hypotheses are on the table and it is certainly too early to conclude exactly where this virus started inside or without China, ”he said.
Ryan responded to an NBC reporter who asked about China’s denials that the virus originated in Wuhan or elsewhere in the country.
“We take a step back, we follow the tests, we follow science. Our team is on the ground, has good experience working with our Chinese colleagues. We are working through the data. The data will lead us to the next phase, where we need to go next to see the origins of this virus, ”Ryan said.
In November, however, Ryan said it would be “very speculative to say the disease did not appear in China.”
Days after Biden signed an executive order to reunite America with the United States @OMS, WHO tells NBC it’s “too early” to say Covid originated in China pic.twitter.com/Kcn0uEkt9q
– Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 26, 2021
Former President Trump has moved to formally withdraw the U.S. from the world health organization, accusing the world body of being in China’s pocket.
“The world is now suffering as a result of the Chinese government’s misdeeds,” Trump said, adding that China pressured the WHO to “deceive the world” about COVID-19. “China has full control over the World Health Organization,” he added, a claim that the WHO has denied.