WHO Calls on China to Co-operate in Next Phase of SARS-CoV2 Origins Research
COVID-19 Science 13/08/2021 •
The WHO visiting Wuhan’s Huanan seafood market on January 31, 2021, as part of their investigations into the origins of COVID-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on China to provide it with access to raw data so that the global search for the origins of SARS-CoV2 can move forward.

The WHO made the call on Thursday while asking member countries for nominations to the Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO).

While countries such as Italy, where the virus had hit hard and early, had been cooperating with the WHO, China needed to do the same by “sharing raw data and giving permission for the retesting of samples”, said the WHO.

Doing this would be a reflection of “scientific solidarity” to “ advance the studies of the origins quickly and effectively,” the WHO added.

But last month, China said that it would be “impossible” for it to cooperate with the next phase of the origins research.

“We will not accept such an origin-tracing plan as it, in some aspects, disregards common sense and defies science,” said Zeng Yixin, Vice Minister of the National Health Commission, at the press conference organized by the Chinese State Council Information Office. 

In January, after months of stalling, China finally allowed an international scientific team into the country – but it refused to give the team access to certain key raw data, including the hospital records of patients in the greater Wuhan area, where SARS-CoV-2 was first identified.

The team finally produced a phase one report which considered four key hypotheses about the origins of the virus, including that it could have escaped from the laboratory in Wuhan that is studying coronaviruses.

China questions ‘lab hypothesis’

“China and a number of other Member States have written to WHO regarding the basis for further studies of the SARS-CoV-2 ‘lab hypothesis,” said the WHO this week.

But, the WHO added, it could only address the ‘lab hypothesis’, if it had “access to all data”.

A number of countries that “have reported detection of SARS-CoV-2 in samples from stored biological specimens from 2019” had been working with the WHO. In Italy, this had included “the blind retesting of pre-pandemic blood samples”. 

“Sharing raw data and giving permission for the retesting of samples in labs outside of Italy reflects scientific solidarity at its best and is no different from what we encourage all countries, including China, to support so that we can advance the studies of the origins quickly and effectively,” the WHO added.

Refuting claims from China that it had been put under political pressure to act, the WHO stressing that “there was insufficient scientific evidence to rule any of the hypotheses out”. 

“WHO’s priority is for scientists to build on the first phase of studies, implement the recommendations outlined in the March 2021 report and accelerate scientific efforts on all hypotheses,” said the body.

“Searching for the origins of any novel pathogen is a difficult process, which is based on science, and takes collaboration, dedication and time.” 

No blame or finger-pointing

It stressed that the search for the origins of SARS-CoV-2 “should not be an exercise in attributing blame, finger-pointing or political point-scoring” but that it was vital to understand how the pandemic started for “future animal-human spillover events”. 

“Countries have a collective responsibility to work together in the true spirit of partnership and to ensure scientists and experts have the space they need to find the origins of the worst pandemic in a century,” stressed the WHO.

“Building on what has already been learned, the next series of studies would include a further examination of the raw data from the earliest cases and sera from potential early cases in 2019. Access to data is critically important for evolving our understanding of science and should not be politicised in any way.”

SAGO is being set up to advise the global body on how to “study the emergence of future emerging pathogens with pandemic potential”, and its first task will be to “support the rapid undertaking of recommended studies” outlined phase one of the virus origins study.

By issuing an open call for nominations to SAGO, WHO hopes to provide “a transparent foundation for the new scientific advisory group that we expect all Member States will engage with”. 

WHO added that it hoped for continuity from “previous missions to China for SARS-CoV-2, as well as other missions studying the origins of, for example, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, avian influenza, Lassa and Ebola”.

“This open call aims to ensure that a broad range of scientific skills and expertise are identified to advise WHO on the studies needed to identify the origins of any future emerging or re-emerging pathogen of pandemic potential.”

Image Credits: South China Morning Post.

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