The WHO had said that two of their experts had been denied entry to China. Now Beijing has hit back; claiming details of the COVID-19 fact-finding mission were still being finalized.
The WHO head said two of the UN body's officials had been denied entry to ChinaImage: Christopher Black/WHO/AP/picture alliance
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China rebuffed claims by the World Health Organization on Wednesday that one of its teams sent to investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic had been denied entry to the country:
Officials at the Geneva-based organization said on Tuesday two members were already on their way but could not enter due to a lack of visa clearances.
The Chinese government countered that the details of the visit and the dates had not yet been confirmed.
'Both sides in close communication'
China’s position on the hunt for the origins of the pandemic "has always been open and responsible," according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
"We need to carry out the necessary procedures and relevant concrete plans. Currently, both sides are still in negotiations on this," Hua Chunying said. “I understand that it’s not just a visa problem and the actual date and itinerary. Both sides are still in close communication."
WHO investigates origin of pandemic
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday that he was "very disappointed" China had not yet finalized the permissions needed for the team's arrivals.
Beijing agreed to the probe in December after months of difficult talks with the UN health body. The virus was first detected in Wuhan in late 2019, with the initial outbreak linked to a market in the city.
The WHO plans to dispatch a 10-person team of experts to get to the bottom of the virus's origins and exactly how it first crossed over to humans.
Reuters news agency quoted WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan as saying two had been denied entry already. He said one had turned back and one was in a third country.
The origins of the virus remain contested amongst scientists. Some experts now believe the market may not have been the origin and that it was instead only amplified there.
jf/sms (AP; Reuters)
Wuhan: A year after the coronavirus outbreak
In early 2020, the city of Wuhan in China's Hubei province became infamous as the first coronavirus hot spot in the world. Life has picked up again, but the situation is not as it was.
Image: Aly Song/REUTERS
Shoulder to shoulder in crowded markets
Wuhan was locked down for about 11 weeks after becoming the first global coronavirus hot spot. Until mid-May, 50,000 of the 80,000 official cases in China were in Wuhan. But now life is almost back to normal on the city's crowded street markets.
Image: Aly Song/REUTERS
Dancing in the streets
During the lockdown, residents were not even allowed to leave their homes. Now, they can even dance together in the park. According to the Reuters news agency, there have been no local transmissions of the virus for months now.
Image: Aly Song/REUTERS
Ground zero for the coronavirus?
Vegetables, fish, and meat — even wild animals — all used to be for sale at this wet market. But it closed its doors on January 1, 2020 after a mysterious lung disease started spreading and its origin was traced to the market. Scientists have not yet determined the market's exact role in spreading the virus, if it had one at all.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/N. Celis
Restaurateurs' livelihoods at risk
Before the pandemic, Lai Yun used to find most of the products for his Japanese restaurant at the covered market. "I would send the kids to school, have breakfast and then go to the market," says the 38-year-old. Since re-opening in June, he has to go elsewhere — and some of the ingredients he needs now cost five times more. "Our aim for next year is simply to survive," he told DW.
Image: Aly Song/REUTERS
No more fresh goods
Though the wet market on the ground floor is still closed, the second floor has re-opened. But most of the stores sell glasses and other specialty products for opticians. "Some people might have a weird feeling, but it's only an empty building now," one of the saleswomen, who did not give her name, told DW.
Image: Aly Song/REUTERS
Vendors move to the streets
Since the market closed down, some people have started selling meat and other fresh goods on the streets. Even if the sellers here are wearing masks and gloves, some say the conditions fall short of certain hygiene standards. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the covered market hall was criticized for its poor health and sanitation regulations.
Image: Aly Song/REUTERS
An unmasked clown
Most Wuhan residents wear masks in public, particularly as the coronavirus has not disappeared and there have been a number of new cases elsewhere in China. "Many people are beginning to hoard masks, disinfectant and other protective equipment," 29-year-old English teacher Yen told DW.
