WHO science sleuths set to start Wuhan investigation into Covid-19 origins
- Quarantine period in China ends on Thursday and team will begin work on the ground looking at earliest known cases
- Amid doubts over access, one member reportedly says Chinese scientists have been sharing data that was not previously made public
The challenges for the 14-member group of specialists go well beyond science. Their mission has been over six months in the making, taking shape as recriminations flew between Washington and Beijing about where the virus came from.
The team, both international experts and WHO officials, will work with Chinese scientists to focus on understanding how the earliest patients may have been infected. They will also look at research around a food wet market linked to early known cases, according to the WHO.
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WHO health experts arrive in Covid-19 epicentre Wuhan to investigate origins of coronavirus
Doubts have been raised about how much access the team will have to certain locations and the data collected by Chinese scientists. WHO team member Peter Daszak said the Chinese side was sharing data with the team that had not previously been made public, according to US news outlet NBC in a segment aired this week.
