WHO says corona not laboratory produced
Evidence suggests that the corona virus originated in China's bats in late 2019 and was not made in a laboratory, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
The remarks by the UN health agency came days after US President Donald Trump said the United States was trying to determine if the virus had originated from a lab in Wuhan, China.
“All available evidence suggests the virus has an animal origin and is not a manipulated or constructed virus in a lab or somewhere else,” WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told a news briefing in Geneva, international media reported on Tuesday.
“It is probable, likely that the virus is of animal origin,” she said, adding that there had “certainly” been an intermediate animal host before the virus was transmitted to humans.
Current and former U.S. intelligence officials said last week that the country's intelligence community was investigating whether the corona virus was accidentally detected by a Chinese lab studying diseases in bats. The lab in question has denied the allegations, calling them "conspiracy theories."
Trump has accused the WHO of misrepresenting its response to the epidemic. The WHO responded by saying that it would not be appropriate to suspend funds during a global epidemic.
The WHO said Tuesday it was still reviewing the impact of blocked US funds on the organization and would work with its partners to fill any gaps.
Meanwhile, WHO also warns that lifting lockdowns should be phased out to control the spread of novel coronaviruses, and that if the restrictions are eased soon, the infection will return.
Takashi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, said the lockdown measures have been effective, and people should be prepared for a new way of life to allow society to function.
The UN resolution called on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to work with the WHO and make recommendations to ensure that all people, especially in developing countries, have equal and timely access to future vaccines, testing, medical equipment and medicines.
Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said the number of people facing severe food insecurity could nearly double to 265 million this year due to the economic downturn caused by COVID 19.
The impact of lost tourism revenues, falling remittances and travel and other restrictions related to the coronavirus epidemic is expected to add some 130 million acutely hungry people this year to around 135 million already in that category.
According to the latest reports, more than 2,558,538 infections have been reported so far and at least 177,177 people have died.
The United States has the highest death toll at 45,126. Italy is the second most affected country with 24,648 deaths. It is followed by Spain with 21,282, followed by France with 20,796 and the United Kingdom with 17,337. 6,800 people have been killed in the last 24 hours.
In India, about 500 people isolated themselves after a relative of a worker tested positive for the corona virus in the capital's presidential palace on Tuesday, officials said. The number has risen to about 18,000.
India's 1.3 billion people have been ordered to stay indoors for 40 days to reduce the spread of the virus so that the country's hospitals are not overwhelmed by the flood of infections.
Under the Constitution of India, the President is a tituler head of state with executive power in the Prime Minister and his Cabinet.
Iran's judiciary said on Tuesday it had temporarily released more than 1,000 foreign prisoners due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, following criticism from UN human rights experts.
Saudi Arabia plans to ease curfews imposed on several cities during the holy month of Ramadan, the state news agency (SPA) reported Tuesday.
Currently, people living under a 24-hour curfew area can go out for healthcare and supermarkets from 6am to 3pm. The SPA said that during Ramadan, these times will start from 9 am to 5 pm.
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