WHO reaches out to experts for int'l mission to find zoonotic source of COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) is beginning to reach out to experts at the international level for a mission to identify the zoonotic source of COVID-19, said a senior WHO expert on Thursday.

The animal source of the virus is a very important question, and experts in both Chinese and international scientific communities are "anxious to move forward with the appropriate studies," according to Micheal Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program. He believes that the experts' high level of engagement will "drive a successful mission."

An advance team comprised of two WHO experts was sent to China to prepare for the international mission two weeks ago. They have been engaged in a series of virtual consultations with their counterparts at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to look at the preliminary investigations and the scientific studies on the origin of the virus, said Ryan.

He added that the WHO has already been reaching out to experts at the international level to see who will be available and most appropriate to support an international mission in the coming weeks to find the zoonotic source of COVID-19. Enditem