The World Health Organization is once again asking China to share data on the origins of the COVID-19 virus that changed society, five years since the start of the pandemic in Wuhan. On Dec. 31, 2019, a WHO office in China noted a cluster of so-called “pneumonia” cases, which turned out to be COVID-19. About three weeks later, Chinese authorities locked down the city.
By early 2020, the virus spread globally, impacting economies, health care systems, education and politics.
While much of the world has moved on from lockdowns and restrictions, questions remain about the source of the virus, prompting the WHO to release a statement Monday, Dec. 30. According to the WHO, sharing data is a “moral and scientific imperative.”
“Without transparency, sharing, and cooperation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics,” the WHO said.
China’s Foreign Ministry defended the country’s handling of COVID-19 data at a news conference Tuesday, Dec. 31 saying the country has always been open and transparent.
How the pandemic started is still under heavy debate, with many scientists believing the virus transferred naturally from animals to humans, but some still harbor suspicions that it escaped from a lab leak in Wuhan.
The WHO has repeatedly asked China to share data about the spread of COVID-19, with reports as early as 2020 accusing China of significant delays in giving information needed to fight the virus.
In 2021, the WHO started drafting a plan on preparing for another pandemic, along with all of the countries who participate in the organization.
While the WHO said the organization agreed on most of what the treaty should include, there’s still a divide between wealthy countries with big pharmaceutical industries and poorer nations worried about being left out. The deadline for negotiations is May 2025.
President-elect Donald Trump said he plans to pull the United States out of the WHO on day one of his second administration, which starts on Jan. 20.
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