WHO concedes ‘Wuhan market had clear role in virus outbreak’

NEW YORK: WHO scientist Dr. Peter Ben Embarek stated that the Wuhan market had a role in the virus outbreak, but more research is needed.

WHO expert on food safety and zoonotic viruses, Dr Embarek said that the role of the Wuhan market is clear but its exact role is not clear yet.

This is the first statement in which WHO has openly admitted the role of China’s Wuhan market in the spread of the pandemic.

“Food safety in these environments is rather difficult and therefore it’s not surprising that sometimes we also have these events happening within markets”, he said.

It might take considerable time to identify the original animal source for the new coronavirus, he added.

Embarek said while China likely has the necessary expertise to conduct such studies and has not noted any problems in China’s willingness to collaborate with others.

It was not clear whether live animals or infected vendors or shoppers may have brought the virus into the market, he told a Geneva news briefing.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said there is “a significant amount of evidence” the virus came from the Wuhan laboratory, although he has also said there wasn’t a certainty.

No public evidence has linked the outbreak to the lab in Wuhan and scientists have said the coronavirus appears to have developed in nature.

Many markets worldwide that sell live animals must be better regulated and hygiene conditions improved, and some should be closed down, Ben Embarek said. “But the vast majority can be fixed, can be better organized.”

(with inputs from Agencies)